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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24628516">the one that makes your day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lcvietaeil/pseuds/lcvietaeil'>lcvietaeil</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Johnny is pining, Light Angst, M/M, an attempt at humor, and kids wrecking havoc, but not really any angst, clueless taeil, it's mostly just them having a good time, it's summer love by one direction but without the angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:28:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24628516</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lcvietaeil/pseuds/lcvietaeil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Johnny and Taeil are camp counselors. They fall in love. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay, so he’s kind of an asshole. But aren’t we all?”</p><p>“When have I ever been an asshole to you?”</p><p>“Maybe not to me, but I know it was your cabin to put the tarantulas in Jaehyun’s cabin.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Moon Taeil/Suh Youngho | Johnny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>166</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Are summer themes overdone? Maybe. But I don't really care, so welcome to my first fic :))</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taeil closes the trunk of his car, turning to face the center of the small mountain of luggage all of the camp counselors had brought. Six weeks was a good chunk of time, and none of the nine annual counselors were known to pack lightly.</p><p>Camp didn’t actually start for another week. However, Taeyong, the head counselor, always made them show up early to get everything cleaned up and ready for the campers.</p><p>They might spend hours cleaning everything before they leave every summer, but what’s another couple hours of cleaning in the grand scheme of things?</p><p>Actually, a lot.</p><p>“Okay,” Taeyong claps his hands together in the middle of the semi-circle they had formed, getting everyone’s attention, “we have exactly seven days before our little bundles of joy arrive, and everything needs to be in tip top shape by the time the first one is even within the general vicinity of this place. Only the absolute best for our angels.”</p><p>Donghyuck leans in towards Mark, “He knows that we know he hates the kids, right?” He stage whispers. Mark snorts but quickly shuts up when Taeyong shoots him a quick glare.</p><p>Taeyong continues. “You should all know which cabins you’ll be monitoring. If you don’t, it’s not my problem. I sent you an email with all of the information and you should’ve read it. If I hear any questions that can be answered by that email, you will be taking over Mark’s cabin for the summer.”</p><p>Mark pumps his fist in the air, chanting a quiet yes as everyone else cringes away.</p><p>There wasn’t anything wrong with Mark’s campers per se, they just weren’t a… longed after group of kids.</p><p>“Then go do what you need to,” Doyoung, Taeyong’s right hand man and major crush, makes a shooing motion with his hands, “We’ll reconvene at dinner tonight. Eight o’clock.”</p><p>Taeil grabs his backpack and duffle bag and then stands there and stares at his things as he tries to figure out just exactly how he’s going to get all of it to his cabin in one trip.</p><p>His train of thought is interrupted when someone pulls his backpack off of his shoulder and grabs his duffle bag out of his hand at the same time.</p><p>Turning around, he comes face to face with Johnny Seo. The tall, distractingly handsome man who more often than not Taeil sees breaking up fights on the field. “Let me help you with that.” He smiles.</p><p>Taeil raises an eyebrow. “What about all of your stuff?”</p><p>Johnny waves a dismissive hand, “I’ll get it later. I have to come back to my car anyway.”</p><p>Taeil hums in understanding, bending down to gather the rest of his things. “Thank you.”</p><p>Johnny just grins and shrugs, falling into step with Taeil as they begin to walk down the path to the cabins. “Oh,” Jaehyun calls as they pass him, “As expected from our romantist, Johnny.”</p><p>Jaehyun jumps back as Johnny aims a kick at him, laughing when he instead just lifts up a finger.</p><p>“I don’t know how you can deal with Jaehyun all the time.” Taeil tells him, having to crane his neck up to meet Johnny’s eyes.</p><p>Johnny and Jaehyun are roommates in real life, which is how Johnny started working at the camp in the first place. </p><p>“You get used to him after a while.” Johnny tells him. “He’s actually not that bad.”</p><p>Taeil just hums non committedly. The only times he had interacted with Jaehyun were pretty unpleasant. </p><p>His first year as a counselor had been Jaehyun’s second. At first it was fine between them; they didn’t converse much, but with two different jobs to carry out everyday it wasn’t that surprising. Still, when the end of the summer came they were both at the bonfire the head counselor (at the time) always threw. Jaehyun had gotten a little too drunk and had jumped out to scare Taeil when he went to sit by the lake. When Taeil startled hard enough to tip himself over the edge of the dock, Jaehyun had sat there and laughed at him, not bothering to help until Doyoung came over to see what all the commotion was about.</p><p>The whole exchange had sufficiently made Taeil wary of Jaehyun. </p><p>Then, the year after Jaehyun had started a prank war between their two cabins.</p><p>The year after that he would just simply laugh whenever Taeil walked into a room. Bizarrely, it was only when he and Johnny would walk in together. </p><p>This year, Taeil wasn’t interested in being Jung Jaehyun’s glorified punching bag.</p><p>“I know he’s a little rough around the edges,” Johnny continues, “but he’s a genuinely good guy. Honest.”</p><p>Taeil gave him a blank look. “He threw me into the lake.”</p><p>Johnny winced, “He didn't throw you.”</p><p>Taeil raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “He still caused me to be in the lake, in the dark, fully clothed. I almost drowned.”</p><p>“Okay, so he’s kind of an asshole. But aren’t we all?”</p><p>“When have I ever been an asshole to you?”</p><p>“Maybe not to me, but I know it was your cabin to put the tarantulas in Jaehyun’s cabin.”</p><p>“He started it!” Johnny looked at him like he wasn’t convinced. Fine. “Besides, I made sure the tarantulas couldn’t hurt them. They were fine, they’re just big babies.”</p><p>“They’re kids.” Johnny reminds him.</p><p>“Jaehyun’s supposed to be an adult. But wouldn’t you know it, one of the actual kids had to get the tarantulas out.” Taeil smiled again at the memory.</p><p>Everyone, except for his cabin, had awoken that morning to the screeches of cabin seven. Admittedly, Taeil had felt pretty bad about the whole thing. He didn’t get the tarantulas, of course, or come up with the idea, but when he had heard of the kids’ plan he had just told them to make it safe and went on with his day.</p><p>Watching Jaehyun jump around and scream had been pretty funny. Though, the kids had also been pretty scared, and that was way less funny. </p><p>When Taeyong stormed the camp grounds, demanding kids tell him who had carried out such a nefarious plan, Taeil had stood his ground that it wasn’t his campers. It was, obviously, and if another kid would have gotten in trouble for it Taeil would fess up, but his kids didn’t need to get in trouble before that happened.</p><p>After all, Jaehyun had started it. The first night of the summer, he and his campers had gone into Taeil’s cabin and strung up buckets of water above every bed and then tied it to the person in the beds wrists so that when they moved their arm they would be soaked. Once it had happened to one kid, it set everyone else off, startled awake from their slumber only to be flooded by a five gallon bucket completely filled to the brim.</p><p>It was a mess. One Taeil had to clean up, even though he was certain it was Jaehyun who had done it, since he had found him and a couple of his campers loitering right outside the door. Hence, the tarantulas.</p><p>“You’re supposed to be an adult.” Johnny told him not unkindly.</p><p>“And I am.” Taeil smiles, “I’m the oldest out of all of us aren’t I? That has to count for something.”</p><p>As they reach Taeils cabin for the summer, Johnny puts his bags down on the front porch. “You’re the oldest but you act like the youngest. Why is that?”</p><p>Taeil scoffs, “I don’t act like the youngest, I’m just not a grumpy old man like Taeyong. Or you, apparently.”</p><p>Johnny glowers down at him a little, “I’m not grumpy, or old.”</p><p>“Whatever you say,” Taeil brushes his fingertips against the underside of Johnny’s chin, “but you sure do act like it sometimes.” When Johnny’s eyebrows narrow the slightest bit more Taeil bites back a giggle and rubs his thumb in the space between his eyebrows. “You’ll get wrinkles.” He explains at the confused tilt of Johnny’s head.</p><p>“Whatev-”</p><p>“Taeil!” Donghyuck runs past the rest of the cabins, almost slamming into Johnny before the taller man steps out of the way. “Did you hear?”</p><p>“Hear what?”</p><p>“Mark has two more highschoolers this year! Ha!” Donghyuck laughs and bends over at the waist, having to grab onto Taeil’s arm before he falls completely over.</p><p>“What? He agreed to that?”</p><p>“No!” Donghyuck cries out, “That’s the best part, he just found out! You should have seen his face. I would have paid for someone to film that.”</p><p>Johnny tsks at him. “You should be nicer to Mark, Hyuck. The only reason he has those kids is because you didn’t want them.”</p><p>Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “It’s not like I asked him to.”</p><p>“Doesn’t that make it that more meaningful?” Taeil asks. “That you didn't even have to ask and he still did that for you?”</p><p>Donghyuck gives them both a betrayed look, “I just wanted to laugh at Mark’s misfortune. Not get a lecture from mom and dad.”</p><p>Taeil coughs in surprise. “We are not your mom or dad.”</p><p>“Obviously,” Donghyuck scoffs, “but you sure do act like one sometimes. Anyways,” he turns to Johnny, “Jaehyun’s looking for you. Said to stop playing Romeo and get your shit because, and I quote, he’s not going to watch it for you while you try to get l-” Donghyuck stops, looking at Taeil and then back to Johnny guiltily, “Uh, while you try to help. Like a good samaritan.”</p><p>Johnny shoots a glare at Donghyuck and then turns to Taeil, “I probably should go grab my stuff.” He smiles. “But come get me if you need any help.”</p><p>Taeil raises his eyebrows, “I’m sure I can manage unpacking my bags by myself.”</p><p>Donghyuck snorts and swings an arm over Johnny’s shoulder, acting like he doesn’t have to lift up onto his tiptoes to reach, “You never know, Taeil. Maybe you packed something only our residential giant can help with.”</p><p>Johnny elbows him off of him, “If you need help with something else, then.” He smiles once more before he turns, Donghyuck still trying to attach himself to his tall frame, and walks back to the cars.</p><p>Weird</p><p>--</p><p>It’s been a day and a half, and Taeil is already over everything and everyone.</p><p>The first day had been good. Great even. They had all spent the day unpacking their things and then doing general maintenance around their individual cabins. Re-sweep the floor, get the sheets out and wash them, fold the sheets and place them on the beds, ready for campers to use, etcetera. Then, they all gathered in the cafeteria and ate together, letting each other in on how their year had been. Donghyuck made fun of Mark every time he mentioned his lab courses, but that was usually par for the course. Jaehyun and Johnny referenced an obnoxious amount of inside jokes none of them could possibly understand, but that was also pretty normal. So, the first day was pretty good.</p><p>The second day, however, was always a little harder. The day was already starting on a bad note, with Taeyong making them all wake up at eight thirty a.m. for the entire week, to get their bodies adjusted to waking up earlier than usual, not unlike a mother with her children the week before school started up again. Then, they had to start cleaning up whatever it was they were working for the summer. For Taeil, this meant having to get each individual kayak, paddle board, and multi-person canoe down and wash them free of any and all bacteria that could have grown on them since their previous use. It wasn’t necessarily that hard, but it’s a lot of carrying heavy things and getting soapy and wet, leaving Taeil at the end of the day with pruny fingers that just wouldn’t go back to normal. It also meant having to get one of the taller counselors to grab the higher up objects. Usually this was Johnny, since he was close by, getting the field ready, but he had been exceptionally busy with Taeyong making him his glorified errand boy for the day. </p><p>That meant Taeil had to get someone else. His first choice was Jungwoo, but he had quickly turned him down with the excuse that he was too busy getting the arts and crafts stocked with all of his essentials. He turned tail and walked over to Yuta, only to be turned down with a quick glare and shake of Yuta’s head. Mark and Donghyuck were too short, Taeyong and Doyoung were busy terrorising everyone else, so that left one last person.</p><p>Asking Jaehyun for anything always left a sour taste in Taeil’s mouth, ever since “the incident(s)”, but he didn’t really have much of a choice. Taeil maturely swallowed down all of his contempt towards the other and politely asked him to help out.</p><p>That leaves them where they are now. Jaehyun had gone over to help and quickly took the role of the most annoying person Taeil has ever met. Quite frankly, Taeil shouldn’t even be surprised. Jaehyun was the kind of person who would help you out, but only so you owed him later on. Maybe that was just to Taeil, though.</p><p>“Taeilie!” Taeil reminds himself to breathe, “Here’s another one for ya. Oh, and I just wanted to say, you look lovely today.”</p><p>It's the tenth time he’s mentioned how ‘good’ he looks that particular day. It’s probably bait for a bigger argument considering Taeil is wearing an old t-shirt from high school, ratty gym shorts, and tennis shoes he had to glue back together the night before he left, but he is not giving in to the impending fight. They’re adults, they can act as such. “Jaehyun, if I cared what you thought I would ask. Can you please either eat shit or continue helping silently?” Okay, so, maybe he’s not as resilient to a good argument as he thought he was.</p><p>Jaehyun lifts a hand to his chest and curls in, as if he was actually hurt, “Can a man not tell his friend that he looks nice without receiving a verbal beating? Is that where we are, Taeilie?”</p><p>“Are you sure you’re a man? Have you even hit puberty yet? I heard your between-me-downstairs was a little lacking, still.” Taeil cringes like he wasn’t purposefully trying to be a dick.</p><p>It’s not even true. Jaehyun had hooked up with Sicheng the year before and in return Taeil got to hear all the sordid details while he was driving himself and Sicheng back to campus. He was quite annoyed to hear that Jaehyun wasn’t just blessed visually, but he’ll never let Jaehyun in on that little detail.</p><p>Jaehyun grins, smug in a way that makes Taeil’s skin itch, “I think we both know that’s not true, Taeilie.” And, ugh, so annoying.</p><p>Maybe it’s not true, but Taeil had worked hard on forgetting the time he walked in on Jaehyun in the shower, and didn’t appreciate Jaehyun bringing it back up. It was a horrid memory, one full of embarrassment and, if you can believe it, sprinkled with irritation. “I think we both know it definitely is.” He fires back. At this point the only thing worse than being beat by Jaehyun in his little game is giving up willingly.</p><p>“Maybe you need a little bit of a refresher then.”</p><p>“I would rather gouge my eyes out, Jung.”</p><p>“It’s a good thing we have a melon baller then, Moon.”</p><p>“You wanna know what?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>“You are absolutely infuriating. Not even in the cute way like Donghyuck or Jungwoo, just the absolute worst.”</p><p>“Well Taeilie, aren’t you just the sweetest fruit of the bunch? And absolutely adorably to boot.”</p><p>Taeil’s just about to respond when he’s interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on here?” Taeyong.</p><p>Taeil continues glaring up at Jaehyun, “Nothing.”</p><p>“It doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”</p><p>“I was just helping Taeil pull down some equipment, Yong.” Jaehyun lies easily.</p><p>“Really? ‘Cause it looked like a fight to me. I have to admit, I’m not really looking forward to having to pull you two apart, or having to play mediator in your childish arguments this summer. I suggest you figure out how to be civil with each other quickly.”</p><p>Jaehyun grins at him, stepping forward to swing an arm around Taeil’s shoulders and pull him into his side. “We were just joking. Right Taeilie?” He jostles him in his tight grip.</p><p>“Right.” Taeil forces out. “Just messing around with a friend.” He shows off their apparent new found friendship with a light jab to Jaehyun’s stomach. If it has a little too much force behind it, he knows Jaehyun won’t give him up and possibly face a lecture.</p><p>Taeyong gives them a distrusting look, but steps back to walk away. “Sure. Let’s keep it to light teasing, yeah boys?” They sing their agreements in sync and keep their smiles on until Taeyong is long gone, past the corner and probably down the walkway.</p><p>Taeil turns in Jaehyun’s hold so they’re facing each other. “Go away.” He demands.</p><p>“No.” Jaehyun resists. “I think I’ll stay here for a little bit.” He grins.</p><p>“You don’t even like me.” Taeil states, shaking his head a little in disbelief, “Why would you want to linger around here?”</p><p>Jaehyun puts his hands on Taeil’s shoulders, clamping down when he tries to shake him off. “Didn’t you hear yourself? We’re friends.”</p><p>Taeil shakes his shoulders again, “You and I know we’re not. Now let go of me you fiend.”</p><p>“Aw, but Taeilie, what if I want to be your friend now? Shouldn’t we at least try?” Jaehyun asks, just a hair too close to the edge of sarcasm for Taeil to take him seriously.</p><p>Taeil sighs, giving up on shaking himself free and blowing air up to get the hair out of his eyes, “You’re a little late for that, Jung.”</p><p>Jaehyun sighs, maybe a little too earnestly for comfort, before pulling Taeil into his chest, moving his arms so they’re wrapped around his waist. “We can just hug it out. Then we’ll be besties.”</p><p>Taeil struggles for a minute before eventually letting himself sink into the embrace. If Taeil’s honest with himself, which he tries not to be, he’s tired of fighting with Jaehyun. In the dead of the night, when no one’s awake to pry into his thoughts, Taeil let’s himself agree with everyone else that Jaehyun is a good guy. Sure, it’s probably the world’s eighth wonder as to how exactly he can be so annoying, but he’s (probably) not that bad. Deep, deep, deep down.</p><p>Johnny likes him a lot, which is a good sign since Johnny is possibly one of the nicest people Taeil has ever met, and Jungwoo does too. Which is also good because Jungwoo only befriends people he considers to be genuinely kind.</p><p>More telling, though, is how much the kids love him. Kids are notoriously honest, to the point it’s a problem for their parents. If they don’t like you, you’ll know, and if they do, you’ll feel that love every second you’re with them. And the kids love Jaehyun. So much so, Taeil’s pretty sure one of them cried when Jaehyun handed them over to their parents last summer. He cried so hard Taeyong actually had to go back and double check their ID and the information they had on file, just to make sure it was the right person.</p><p>That’s proof enough that Jaehyun’s not as bad as he portrays himself to Taeil, but it’s hard to remember that when he’s doing his best to get under Taeil’s skin.</p><p>Even so, Taeil allows himself to hug Jaehyun back and think of letting go of his grudges so they could become friends. It’s not a bad idea, and it would certainly make his summers a little bit easier, but is it that simple? Could they really just put everything behind them? Taeil’s not sure, but he’s definitely willing to try. </p><p>Except, apparently not, because Jaehyun jumps into the lake, using the hold he has on Taeil to drag him along.</p><p>It only takes a second for Taeil to realize what exactly happened, and he’s quick to swim to the surface, coughing up water. </p><p>“I’m going to kill you,” he gasps out, swiping at Jaehyun when he hears his laughter.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Jaehyun gasps out, laughing and swimming away from Taeil’s hands, “I’m sorry it was just the perfect set up, I had to take advantage of that.” Taeil chases after him for another moment before they end up just paddling to stay above the water and staring at each other.</p><p>“I promise I won’t do anything else to piss you off.” Jaehyun smiles sweetly and Taeil is on his own path to forgiveness, until the little shit ruins it by giggling, “You really should’ve seen your face though, you popped up looking like some weird indie movie version of the loch ness monster.”</p><p>Taeil laughs, willing to play along until he lunges at Jaehyun, and this time he lands right on target. Jaehyun squeaks as Taeil puts both of his hands on his head to dunk him in the water, and comes up sputtering, wiping the water out of his eyes.</p><p>“Sorry,” Taeil gloats, his smug smile taking all of the meaning out of the word, “it was just the perfect set up, I had to take advantage.”</p><p>They stare at each other for a moment, and then Jaehyun grins again, grabbing Taeil to pull him into his chest, “See? I told you we were friends now.”</p><p>Taeil laughs, pushing Jaehyun off of him and looking up when someone walks to the very edge of the dock. “Uhm?” Johnny says, looking in between the two of them.</p><p>“Hey John,” Jaehyun greets him.</p><p>“Hey,” Johnny drags out, “Why are you two in the lake? Fully dressed?”</p><p>Jaehyun shrugs, “Taeil was a little hot.”</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes and splashes water towards Jaehyun, “No, Jaehyun thought he was funny. Which he isn’t.”</p><p>Johnny just stares at him, then turns his head to stare at Jaehyun for a second. “Is he ever?” He asks sardonically.</p><p>Taeil raises his eyebrows, turning to Jaehyun instinctively at the weird change of tone only to see him giving Johnny a smile just on the edge of being smug. “I’m the funniest person you know.”</p><p>Johnny rolls his eyes but grins, “Not likely. Are you done here? I could use some help over at the fields.”</p><p>Jaehyun turns to Taeil, “What do you say, Taeilie? Need any more help from me before Johnny drags me away?”</p><p>Taeil shakes his head, trying to tamp down the smile growing on his face, “No, I’m good. Thank you though. For all the help.”</p><p>Jaehyun puts his hand on Taeils head, shaking it back and forth, “No problem, bestie. Let me know if you need anything else.”</p><p>Taeil nods, watching Jaehyun swim over to the edge of the dock and pull himself up, shielding his eyes from the sun with a hand, “We’re not besties!” He calls out to Jaehyun’s retreating back.</p><p>“Yes we are!” Jaehyun shouts back, “Just accept it!” Taeil laughs to himself, and works on getting himself out of the water. When he makes it onto the dock he looks up to see Jaehyun making kissy faces at Johnny as they walk to the field, and Johnny pushing him away. Taeil smiles as he wrings his clothes out as best as he can, allowing himself to think positively of Jaehyun, only a little, and the rest of the summer as he flops onto the deck for a much deserved break in the sun.</p><p>--</p><p>On the fifth day, Jungwoo approaches Taeil while he’s eating lunch. “Hey stranger.”</p><p>“Hey,” Taeil smiles up at him, “what’s up?”</p><p>Jungwoo shrugs as he sits down, “We haven’t really talked since we got here.”</p><p>Taeil hums in acknowledgement, “Yeah, I’ve been busy. Figured you were too with Jaehyun running off every five minutes.”</p><p>Jungwoo sighs, “He means well, he’s just a little… ditzy? I guess, I don’t really know the word I’m looking for.”</p><p>Taeil nods, “I know what you mean, though. And I agree, he tries hard but sometimes he doesn’t necessarily get it.”</p><p>“He’s doing his best.” Jungwoo agrees, “Anyways, let's talk about tonight.”</p><p>“Tonight?”</p><p>“Tonight.” Jungwoo confirms. “We’re having a bonfire and I wanted to make sure you’re coming.”</p><p>Taeil plays with his napkin a little, thinking. “I didn’t know. I’ll go though. Is everyone else gonna be there?”</p><p>Jungwoo looks shiftily to the side, “Uh, yeah. Pretty sure everyone else will be.”</p><p>Taeil looks at him weirdly. There’s obviously something he’s not being told, but he’s not going to push.</p><p>A tray clatters on to the table, and Jungwoo and Taeil both turn to look at Donghyuck and Mark as they take their seats.</p><p>“What are we talking about?” Donghyuck asks around the spoon in his mouth.</p><p>“The bonfire tonight.” Taeil tells him.</p><p>“Oh!” Mark exclaims, “Are we still hiding that from Taeyong?”</p><p>Taeil looks at him in alarm, and then turns to face Jungwoo who’s glaring at Mark. “Taeyong doesn’t know?”</p><p>Jungwoo eases his face into an innocent smile, “What?”</p><p>“Does Taeyong know?” Taeil presses.</p><p>Jungwoo tilts his head. “Know what?”</p><p>Taeil sighs, “Woo.”</p><p>Jungwoo sluches in his seat, putting all of his attention on his hands. “No, Taeyong doesn’t know.”</p><p>“Why would you not tell Taeyong?”</p><p>“You know that he’ll say no!” Jungwoo defends himself, “If he says no and we still do it we’ll get in even more trouble. It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission, that's what my Nana always told me.”</p><p>“Besides,” Donghyuck chimes in, “It’s not like we’re doing anything dangerous.”</p><p>Taeil gives him a hard look, “Starting a huge fire is dangerous, Hyuck.”</p><p>“We can hide it from him easily, Taeil.” Mark tells him.</p><p>“You really think he’s not going to notice a fire in the middle of camp? That’s what we’re going with?”</p><p>“Of course not.” Jungwoo dismisses the thought with a wave of his hand. “He’ll notice, but after the fire is lit. Then he probably won’t put a stop to the whole thing because it’ll already be happening.”</p><p>Taeil shakes his head, “Then I’m not going.” At the other three’s groans he continues, “I’m not facing Taeyong’s wrath over something so dumb. If you want to do it, fine. I can’t stop you. But I’m definitely not going to join in with your stupidity.”</p><p>“I told you you should have had Johnny tell him.” Donghyuck mutters towards the table.</p><p>Taeil turns to him sharply, “What did you just say?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Donghyuck shakes his head.</p><p>“What does Johnny have to do with this?”</p><p>“You always do what he says! If he invited you, you would have said yes.” Donghyuck ends his sentence with a stomp of his foot and a pout.</p><p>Taeil looks at him in shock, “I do what Johnny asks because he’s not trying to get me in trouble everytime he talks to me.”</p><p>Donghyuck scoffs, “Sure. Because he wasn’t the one to talk you into breaking into Taeyong’s cabin to steal the booze last summer.”</p><p>Taeil sputters, saying nothing in response. What can he say? It’s true. The summer before, in a small lapse of judgment on Taeil’s part, he and Johnny had made a plan on how to sneak out all of the booze in the safe behind Taeyong’s bed.</p><p>Yuta had called Taeyong in a panic, telling him that one of the campers had fallen and potentially broken their leg on their hike that day. Once Taeyong, and Doyoung in case they needed more help, had ridden off on the golf cart, Taeil and Johnny snuck in, making quick work of moving Taeyong’s bed and opening the safe.</p><p>They had Jungwoo stationed on the field, ready to call them in case Taeyong made his way back sooner than expected, and Jaehyun, Mark, and Donghyuck outside of the cabin so they could easily pass them some of the bottles and they could run off to their respective cabins, shoving the alcohol in their empty suitcases and putting them back in the shed.</p><p>The plan had needed everyone’s help, which meant everyone needed to be in the know of all aspects. Which is probably why Donghyuck can’t let go of it, because Taeil planned that and won’t just show up at the bonfire.</p><p>Taeil exhales heavily through his nose, “He did,” he confirms, “and we both got in a lot of trouble for it. Which is why I don’t think this is going to go over as well as you’re all hoping.”</p><p>“If it doesn’t then you won’t be the one to take the fall,” Mark points out, “because you didn’t plan it.”</p><p>“Who did plan it?” Taeil asks.</p><p>Donghyuck grins at him, “Johnny and Jaehyun.”</p><p>Taeil shakes his head, “Of course they did.”</p><p>“Please come?” Jungwoo asks again, “Johnny would be so disappointed if you didn’t.”</p><p>“Why does everyone keep bringing up Johnny?” Taeil demands.</p><p>“Oh, because John-” Donghyuck slaps a hand against Mark’s mouth, effectively cutting off the rest of his sentence.</p><p>“Because you’re friends.” Donghyuck smoothly interjects. “Of course he would want his friend there.”</p><p>Taeil sighs, looking at the three of them. Donghyuck quickly puts on puppy dog eyes that rival Jungwoo’s and slaps Mark’s stomach until he joins them. “No.” Donghyuck tilts his head, pushing his lips out further into a pout. “Donghyuck, no. I’m not going.”</p><p>--</p><p>“Here.” Donghyuck shoves another red solo cup into Taeil’s outstretched hand. “Drink this.”</p><p>Taeil shoots it back, blocking the coke Mark tries to hand him after, “I’m not like you teenagers, I can take a shot without chasing it.”</p><p>“We’re not teenagers,” Mark says, bringing his cup back to his chest. Donghyuck rolls his eyes and hands Taeil another drink.</p><p>“He knows that, he’s just an asshole.”</p><p>Mark watches worriedly and Taeil shoots back the drink and holds his cup back out for more. </p><p>“Is there a reason we’re trying to get him drunk so fast?” He asks as Donghyuck pours more vodka into it and hands it back.</p><p>Donghyuck shrugs, “It’s funny,” Mark gives him a look and he sighs, “and the drunker he gets the less likely he is to leave.” </p><p>Taeil laughs, “No need to worry, I won’t leave. You were right Hyuck, I deserve this. Did you know I’ve had Jaehyun come and bother me four out of the five days we’ve been here? And I only hit him once!” </p><p>Taeil downs another shot, “Don’t tell him I told you this but, the other day we were in the lake and woo,” he reaches for another shot but Mark gives him a water bottle instead, “he’s built, like really, I would’ve asked if I could pay to watch him clean the canoes shirtless if he wasn’t so annoying.” Donghyuck laughs and nudges Mark, handing Taeil another filled cup.</p><p>Getting him to the bonfire hadn’t been easy, Donghyuck had to bother him for hours. Whining, crying, lying lifelessly in the middle of the road so a car could run over him, and then finally getting Johnny to come in. All it took was Johnny complaining that it wouldn’t be the same without Taeil for him to give in. Then it was just a matter of getting ready and making sure the oldest didn’t back out. Which Donghyuck insured by giving him a cocktail, relying on Taeil’s infamous lightweight bullshit to do the rest. Which it did. </p><p>Now, Taeil was barely hanging on, trying to take a shot out of the water bottle Mark handed him and not realizing it wasn’t alcoholic. </p><p>“Honestly I usually wouldn’t hit that, but this summer is supposed to be the best one right? Who knows what could happen,” Mark stares at Taeil in horror as Donghyuck cackles. </p><p>“What are you guys talking about?” Johnny joins their little circle, reaching his hands out to steady Taeil as he sways backwards. </p><p>Mark shivers, “Taeil is being disgusting.” Donghyuck hits him and gives him a look, looking at Johnny meaningfully right after.</p><p>Taeil hiccups, “Sex isn’t disgusting Markie, it’s natural. You’ll learn about it when you’re a little older but for now there’s no reason to be ashamed. Two consenting adults having sex for fun is no big deal.” Mark’s grimace never leaves his face and the air surrounding the group gets awkward. Johnny is looking between Taeil and the two younger boys, wordlessly asking questions neither of them are willing to answer. </p><p>Jaehyun walks up blindly, reaching for a drink before any of the other four notice he’s arrived. Mark immediately covers his mouth to cover his giggles. Donghyuck looks over and has to turn away, trying his best to glue his lips together in an attempt not to make any noise. It isn’t until Jaehyun says hey to everyone that that plan goes to shit. </p><p>Almost at the exact moment he opens his mouth Taeil cackles, leaning into Johnny and covering his mouth. It sets Mark and Donghyuck off as well, both boys' efforts to stay quiet no match to the situation. Johnny and Jaehyun watch in confusion and the three lean onto each other, holding one another up. </p><p>“Did I say something?” Jaehyun asks. It sets the trio off even more, Mark trying to gasp out platitudes. When it becomes obvious the situation is beyond saving Donghyuck leads the three of them away, only for it to get harder to walk when Taeil drunkenly calls out a goodbye, trying to wink at Jaehyun and failing miserably. </p><p>Once they’re a little further away and have calmed down Donghyuck nudges Mark, “Told you Taeil was funny drunk,”</p><p>Mark nods in agreement. “I won’t doubt you next time.”</p><p>--</p><p>The next morning Taeil startles awake to the sound of pots and pans banging together.</p><p>“Get up!” Of course it’s Taeyong shouting, “We have work to do. You all more than me.”</p><p>Jaehyun, laying next to Taeil on the ground, groans, sitting up and letting the sheet fall to his waist. “What’s going on?”</p><p>Taeyong leans over them, “It’s time to wake up. I just said that.”</p><p>Donghyuck grabs a pillow and lobs it at Taeyong’s head from the other side of the room. “Get out.” He groans. “It’s not even eight yet.”</p><p>“If you think I care about that right now,” Taeyong says cheerily, “You are sorely mistaken. Now get your asses out of bed and to the cafeteria.”</p><p>-</p><p>“Why would you wake us up like that.” Jungwoo asks, leaning his head on the table with his eyes closed tight, trying to drown out as much of the light as possible.</p><p>“Why would you think your little party last night was a good idea?” No one says anything. “Right then.”</p><p>“How did you even know we were all in the same cabin?” Yuta questions.</p><p>“I didn’t. You all just made my job easier by doing that.” Taeyong tells them. There’s resounding groans from all of them. “Don’t start grunting and groaning just yet, I haven’t even told you all what you’re doing today to make up for it.”</p><p>“Please,” Mark cries out, “please have mercy on us.”</p><p>“No,” Taeyong grins, “I don’t think I will.”</p><p>Doyoung stands from his seat. “You all know that we hire a landscaping company every year to fix up the walkways and all of that.” They all nod. “Well we called them off this year, just for you.”</p><p>Taeil turns his head just enough that he can shoot a glare at Donghyuck, who is currently on his knees with his hands collapsed together, begging for mercy. You won't get in trouble because you didn’t plan it my ass.</p><p>“You can’t be serious.” Johnny denies, aghast.</p><p>“Dead.” Taeyong replies, “Split up into pairs or groups. I don’t care that much but it needs to be done by today.” He smiles at them. “Thank you so much for your volunteered help.” And with that, he and Doyoung are gone.</p><p>“Probably went to go ignore the sexual tension between the two of them in the privacy of their own office.” Jaehyun mutters under his breath. Taeil can’t help but snort, nudging Jaehyun’s shoulder with his own when he looks over.</p><p>“I hate you.” Yuta says, looking Johnny right in the eyes before slamming his head back on his laid out arms in front of him.</p><p>“What did I do?” Johnny asks, motioning to himself in surprise.</p><p>“You made us all think this was a good idea.” Mark says, pout still planted firmly on his lips.</p><p>“Technically that was Jaehyun and Jungwoo.” Johnny defends himself.</p><p>“You’re the older one, you should have stopped us.” Jungwoo glares.</p><p>“Hey,” Taeil steps in, “as much as I would love to blame someone else, we’re all adults who should know right from wrong. Johnny and Jungwoo didn’t force you to be a part of it, you all showed up on your free will. So knock it off.”</p><p>Jaehyun nods in agreement before cutting himself off, whipping his head to face Taeil, “Wait, what about me?”</p><p>“We can put a little bit of blame on you.” Taeil teases him.</p><p>“Let’s split up,” Johnny says suddenly, “We can just clean whatever walkways are closest to our cabins.” Everyone agrees and moves to leave.</p><p>“So,” Johnny says, walking next to Taeil in the direction of their cabins, “Jaehyun, huh?”</p><p>Taeil looks up at him in confusion, “What?”</p><p>“Last night, when I went up to you and the babes. You were talking about something that had to do with sex. It was about Jaehyun, wasn’t it?”</p><p>“What?” Taeil laughs nervously, “Of course not.”</p><p>Johnny raises an eyebrow, “Why do I not believe that?”</p><p>“Hm. I don’t know, but it’s true.”</p><p>Taeil has to look away when Johnny doesn’t avert his gaze. A moment later and they’re both back to looking straight ahead. “If it was,” Johnny starts, faux casual, “I wouldn’t say anything. Like, even if he’s my friend I wouldn’t rat you out or anything.” He glances down at him from the corner of his eye.</p><p>Taeil laughs, “I appreciate that, but you’re thinking too much into it. Drunk Taeil is a completely different person than sober Taeil. And sober Taeil completely regrets whatever it is he said last night.”</p><p>Johnny hums, “Isn’t that usually the case?”</p><p>“Pretty much.” Taeil admits.</p><p>“What are we talking about?” Jaehyun asks, shoving himself in the middle of them and wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.</p><p>“Nothing.” Taeil sings.</p><p>“Come on,” Jaehyun whines, “I hate not knowing everything.”</p><p>“You’ll move on somehow.” Johnny says, grabbing Jaehyun around the waist and lifting him in a hug, just to do a half turn and drop him on the other side of the path. “Why are you following us anyways?”</p><p>Jaehyun huffs, brushing himself off and giving Johnny an unimpressed look. “I’m not following you, I figured we could work together since our cabins are right next to each other.”</p><p>Johnny shakes his head, grabbing on to Taeil to pull him into his side, “Nah dude, I already told Taeil we could work together.”</p><p>“Then let’s all work together.” Jaehyun compromises.</p><p>“Ha, no.” Taeil turns him down immediately. “This morning was bad enough, I don’t need you to make my day worse by driving me crazy for hours on end.”</p><p>Jaehyun leans over so he can look at Taeil over Johnny’s broad chest, “I would never.” He says, raising a hand to his chest.</p><p>“Yes, you would. Johnny, tell him to go away.”</p><p>“Jaehyun, go away.” Johnny intones.</p><p>“No,” Jaehyun cries out, “I knew you first! We live together! What ever happened to bros before hoes?”</p><p>Taeil scoffs, “I am not a ‘hoe’, he just likes me more than you.”</p><p>“Taeil, I thought we were friends now.” </p><p>“I never said we weren’t, Jaehyun.” Jaehyun sneers at him, “But you and I both know you’ve been showing up at the lake just to bother me. You actually cannot stop yourself, and I don’t have the energy for that today.”</p><p>“I can control myself, you just egg me on with your reactions.”</p><p>“You know, that doesn't really make me want to change my mind.”</p><p>“Johnny,” Jaehyun latches on to one of his arms, “Tell him how great I am.”</p><p>“He’s great.”</p><p>“See? Even Johnny thinks so.”</p><p>“You forced him to say that.”</p><p>“No, I asked him to. He said it on his own free will.”</p><p>“Johnny, tell him he can’t come.”</p><p>“Jaehyun, you can’t come.”</p><p>“See? Even Johnny thinks so.”</p><p>“Johnny, tell him I can come.”</p><p>“Taeil, he can come.”</p><p>“Ha!”</p><p>“He doesn’t mean that.”</p><p>“Yes he doe-”</p><p>“Oh my god!” Johnny yells out, “Stop arguing, holy shit.”</p><p>Jaehyun slams his mouth shut, glaring over at Taeil. Taeil glares right back, refusing to back down.</p><p>“Jaehyun,” Johnny starts, “You can come with us if you promise to not antagonize Taeil.” Jaehyun whoops, punching an arm in the air.</p><p>Taeil sighs, ducking out from Johnny’s arm and walking to the side. Johnny rolls his eyes, grabbing his arm and pulling him close again. “It’ll be fine. If he bothers you, I’ll talk to him.”</p><p>Taeil nods, dragging his feet along the path towards their cabins.</p><p>-</p><p>It’s hot. It’s so hot, Taeil is pretty sure all of the water in his body is evaporating at an alarming rate, no matter how many bottles of water he chugs down. His face is red, his body is tired, and he's pretty sure his neck has a nice sunburn that's been getting worse for about an hour.</p><p>Taeil straightens his back, standing up to take a break from pulling weeds, just for a second. About three hours had passed of himself, Johnny, and unfortunately Jaehyun trying to fix up the path leading to their cabins. It had been fine at first, they had all started in front of their respective cabins, pulling up weeds and clearing the area. They had eventually met up in the middle, though, and were now working on the long part of the path.</p><p>Taeil didn’t mind doing things like this. He had helped his mother quite often with her garden when he still lived with her. It was just the fact that they had finally gone to bed around three a.m, only to be awoken at seven to Taeyong telling them they had to do all of this work that was making the whole experience horrible. He had a hangover, didn’t get any sleep, and he’s pretty sure he’s sweating straight tequila at the moment. Oh, and Jaehyun.</p><p>Jaehyun had been fine for the first hour, making good on his promise to keep his mouth shut. Though that may have been because Johnny was in between the two of them. Around the second hour mark had been when his alleged impeccable self control had started to wane. It was only small things, throwing the extra dirt he pulled up on Taeil’s piles, nudging Taeil with his foot so he would fall down from his crouch, continuously calling Taeil’s name only to pretend like it wasn’t him when he looked over. It’s juvenile.</p><p>It’s also infuriating.</p><p>Of course Johnny had also made good on his promise to tell Jaehyun to stop when he was being annoying, but Jaehyun couldn’t be stopped. At this point Taeil’s pretty sure Jaehyun is some kind of demon, sent from the depths of hell to never stop annoying people and nothing anyone does will ever be able to stop that. It's something Taeil is working hard on trying to accept.</p><p>Now, though, Jaehyun has been picking fun at him for the better part of thirty minutes for forgetting to apply sunscreen before they started, and poking at his growing sunburn. It’s to the point Taeil is seriously debating the repercussions of tackling him into the dirt and shoving his face in it. Worth it or not?</p><p>“Tomato, Taeil, it means the same thing.” Jaehyun tells Johnny.</p><p>Worth it. Definitely worth it.</p><p>Johnny must see the building anger on Taeil’s face, because he comes over to him and takes off his hat, pouring water into it and then offering it to Taeil. “Here,” he says, “I can run and get a small towel to cover your neck too.”</p><p>Taeil looks at him for a minute, surprised Johnny would actually offer him his own hat just to get Jaehyun off his back. “Sure. Thank you.”</p><p>“No problem.” Johnny smiles. When he puts it over Taeil’s head the added coolness of the water is exactly what Taeil needs. He watches as Johnny jogs off in the direction of his cabin, thinking about how someone can be such a genuinely nice guy.</p><p>When he gets back, he just wets the rag with the water from his water bottle and hands it to Taeil, explaining how to place it so it doesn’t fall off. Once Taeil is all situated, he bends down to get started pulling weeds once again.</p><p>There’s a lull in any conversation for a moment, all three of them wanting to get finished by dinner time at the latest. They go on like that, until the quiet is broken once again by Jaehyun.</p><p>“I just think it’s cute,” He says, “that you’re sharing clothes.”</p><p>Taeil ignores him, reaching forward to tug extra hard on a stubborn weed.</p><p>“Isn’t it cute?” He tries again. Taeil maintains his silence, refusing to give in. “Johnny?”</p><p>Johnny huffs under his breath, turning his head to look at Jaehyun. “Yeah?”</p><p>“It’s cute right?”</p><p>Johnny glances over at Taeil, turning to face Jaehyun again before he answers. “Yeah, sure dude.”</p><p>“You think so too, right Taeil?” Taeil grunts in response, not even lifting his concentration from in front of him. “Well, I think so even if you don’t. It’s sweet, almost like there could be something else going on?”</p><p>Taeil says nothing still, instead choosing to rip out a pile of weeds and ‘accidentally’ moving them over Jaehyun’s head, uncaring of the dirt that shakes off into his hair. </p><p>Jaehyun shakes out his hair, “Is that a yes?”</p><p>Taeil blows a loud breath out, looking up at the sky and thinking what he could have possibly done to have to deserve this. “Here.” He says, sliding the hat and rag off of his head and tossing it towards Johnny. “I don’t need it that badly. You should use it.”</p><p>Johnny looks at it then looks up at Jaehyun. “Dude.” He says, disappointed.</p><p>“What?” Jaehyun exclaims, “I didn’t do anything.”</p><p>Johnny just shakes his head, picking up the hat and trying to hand it to Taeil, “Just ignore him. He needs constant attention, he’ll stop eventually if you don’t give it to him.”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Taeil rejects the offer, “really. You should just use it for yourself, I don’t want you getting burnt or anything.” </p><p>Johnny looks at Jaehyun exasperated, “He’s already burnt and now it’s going to get worse because you refuse to act your age.” Jaehyun rolls his eyes. </p><p>“I was obviously messing around. Taeil, just take the stupid hat back.” </p><p>“I’d literally rather burst into flames from the heat than deal with your shit today, Jung.”</p><p>Jaehyun scoffs and glares at Johnny, “How am I not acting my age when he’s throwing an actual tantrum because I teased him a little bit.”</p><p>“Jae, you know how messed up he was last night, no one wants to deal with you when they’re hung over and sleep deprived.”</p><p>Taeil throws his gloves down, “I’m going to go get another water bottle. I swear to God when I come back I don’t want to hear either of your voices for the rest of the day.” He gets up and storms away, rolling his eyes when the pair continue to argue. </p><p>On a normal day Taeil probably would have been able to deal with Jaehyun, but as he literally stomps to the cafeteria he plots a way to hide his body without any of the incoming campers finding it. </p><p>Since he’s really not in the mood to go back to his post right away he takes a minute to relax in the air conditioning, starting to realize how burnt his shoulders are getting. However, he really only gets a minute until Taeyong walks in and glares until he heads back out. </p><p>Luckily for everyone, once Taeil gets back to the path Jaehyun and Johnny are working in silence. He sets his bottle down and gets back to work. All three of them go on without talking for a while, until Donghyuck ends up finding his way over to their area. </p><p>Somehow he manages to observe quietly for a whole two minutes before he opens his mouth and ruins the atmosphere again.</p><p>“Why are we so quiet over here,” he asks, “I thought you guys were all besties now.”</p><p>Jaehyun wipes the sweat off his face, sitting up to look Donghyuck in the face, “We were supposed to be, but apparently I was booted out. They hate me now.” </p><p>Rising from his hunched position, Johnny swipes a hand out at his friend, “You know we didn’t boot you out. Just because we said you were being annoying doesn’t mean you have to be a drama queen.” </p><p>“Damn I should’ve teamed up with you guys, it seems like it’s been a good time.”</p><p>Taeil huffs, “Trust me, being stuck in the boiling heat with these two is the worst time possible.” Johnny frowns, but unsurprisingly Jaehyun smiles wide. </p><p>“You’re still hot?” he asks.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s what I just said,” Taeil bites back.</p><p>“Burning up?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Dying to cool down?”</p><p>“Uh huh.”</p><p>Jaehyun moves in a flash, giving Taeil no time to register what’s happening until it’s too late. He uncaps Taeil’s water bottle and dumps it over his head, circling it around so it gets on his shoulders and back as well. </p><p>Taeil shouts and jerks away, “What the hell!”</p><p>Jaehyun and Donghyuck laugh, growing louder when Taeil tries to squeeze out as much water as possible from his shirt. Off to the side, Johnny just sits and watches the chaos listlessly. </p><p>“You said you were hot! I was just trying to help you cool off!” </p><p>Taeil glares, “I hate you.” </p><p>“Love you too,” Jaehyun quips, unable to speak properly through his cackles.</p><p>“You did say you were hot,” Donghyuck interjects, and Taeil groans in annoyance as he rips his shirt off. </p><p>He ignores the duo's whistles, focusing on putting his shirt somewhere it won’t get muddy. When he turns around to place it on an unused paper bag he hears Johnny squeak, and looks over to see if he’s okay.</p><p>“You good?” He asks, confused as to why Johnny’s staring directly at a pile of dirt.</p><p>“Yeah. Choked on my spit.” Taeil nods, watching Johnny continue to stare at the floor as if it personally offended him.</p><p>“Did the dirt do something to get you to glare at it like that?” Johnny shakes his head, ears going pink as he hears Jaehyun and Donghyuck howling with laughter behind them.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Jaehyun snorts, “Johnny you should see your face right now.”</p><p>“Johnny,” Donghuck gasps out, lifting his phone up, “look at the camera. Please, oh my god, I have to share this with Mark.”</p><p>Johnny stands up, dusting off his pants and storming over to Donghyuck, taking his phone out of his hands and deleting whatever pictures he had taken. “I’m leaving.”</p><p>“No, don’t.” Jaehyun bemoans, “We’ll stop I promise.”</p><p>Johnny looks at them distrustfully, “You’ve promised a lot of things you apparently can’t keep, Jaehyun.” </p><p>Jaehyun schools his expression, “But I really promise this time.” He assures him. “We’ll be good.”</p><p>As soon as Johnny nods and looks to Donghyuck for confirmation the younger boy bursts out laughing, bending at the waist and gasping for breath. This, of course, sets Jaehyun off again. He lets out a cackle, leaning back and trying to calm himself down. Johnny scoffs, side stepping the two of them to walk off. “Wait,” Jaehyun chokes out, “I’m sorry. Johnny, I’m sorry!” He calls after him, trying to placate him even as he walks beyond sight.</p><p>“What is so funny?” Taeil inquires, genuinely confused as to how the day turned out like this.</p><p>Donghyuck snorts again, “Nothing,” he says, “I don’t think I’m allowed to explain it.”</p><p>-</p><p>At dinner everyone is in a sour mood. Taeil wasn’t the only one who didn’t get any sleep the night before, and the exhaustion had taken over most of them at that point. This meant that the people in better moods were trying their best to lift up the atmosphere, trying to land joke after joke to get just a chuckle from someone.</p><p>It wasn’t working, though. It’s not like anyone was purposely trying to be a sour sport, but they were physically and mentally burnt out and incapable of finding anything remotely interesting at the moment. We’ll, almost incapable, because when Jaehyun says,</p><p>“You should have seen Taeil today,” everyone’s interest is suddenly piqued.</p><p>“Seen him do what?”</p><p>Jaehyun wriggles his eyebrows, “He went shirtless.” Taeil sighs, leaning forward to rest his head on the table.</p><p>Jungwoo lights up, “Oh? Our Taeilie did a strip show or what?”</p><p>Johnny chokes on the water he was drinking, thumping his chest to try and alleviate the pressure.</p><p>“Something like that.” Jaehyun jokes. Taeil lifts his head, swatting an arm out and smiling when he hears Jaehyun grunt on impact.</p><p>“I did not ‘strip’, Jaehyun poured water all over me and I didn’t want to work in a wet shirt, so I took it off.” He shrugs</p><p>“Is that why Donghyuck sent me that weird video?” Mark asks, “All I could hear was laughing and then I saw Johnny going up to the camera.”</p><p>Johnny turns to Donghyuck, “I deleted that.”</p><p>“It’s an IPhone, dude. It has a recently deleted folder.” Johnny gives him a wounded look, smacking the back of his head when he just snickers in response.</p><p>“Johnny was there?” Yuta laughs out, “Okay, now I want to see this video, too.”</p><p>Mark nods eagerly, “I’ll send it to you man.”</p><p>“No,” Johnny shakes his head, “you will not.”</p><p>“Oh come on, grandpa.” Yuta says, “Let us have a little bit of fun.”</p><p>“You’re having fun at my expense though. And Taeil’s”</p><p>“Wait,” Jungwoo leans in, “could you see Taeil in the video?”</p><p>Donghyuck laughs, slapping Jungwoo’s shoulder, “You’re a pervert.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Jungwoo denies, “I just have a mild obsession with Taeil’s tummy.”</p><p>Taeil scrunches his face at him. Taeil’s abs, or lack thereof, had been a topic of discussion started the year before when he caught a stomach bug from one of his campers. Donghyuck had brought him soup, choosing to lay down with him instead of putting the food down and running like everyone else when they were given the task. After Taeil’s continuous whining about how much his stomach hurt, Donghyuck laid his hand over his shirt, spending the next half hour rubbing circles on his tummy after claiming his mother would do it to him when he was sick and it was guaranteed to make him feel better. Taeil would argue that it did, though he’s pretty sure the soft affection and general care Donghyuck had shown was what had lifted his spirits.</p><p>The next day when he felt better, enough to make his way to the cafeteria, his belly was the hot topic of the day.</p><p>Apparently Donghyuck had spun a tale about how Taeil’s stomach was the softest thing he had felt in his life and was the cure to all sadness and general bad feelings. When a week later Mark barged into his cabin and laid in bed with him, demanding to be allowed to rub his stomach and his feelings away Taeil had no choice but to let him. A couple days later it was Yuta, then Jungwoo, and his abdomen was officially one of the camp’s tales of lore.</p><p>It had gotten worse since then. Counselors popping into his cabin to rub his stomach before going back out to whatever stressful situation they were facing. Johnny pulling him aside after having to break up three fights between the same two campers, Donghyuck wrapping himself around his back to reach his belly while Taeil was watching the kids kayak, Yuta attaching himself to Taeil’s side so he could rub his tummy all day when they learned Sicheng wouldn’t be coming back the next summer. It was all very dramatic.</p><p>“Can we finally just let that go?” Taeil requests.</p><p>“Not a chance.” Donghyuck grins, “It’s like therapy, are you really going to rip that away from us?”</p><p>Jaehyun pouts at him, “I never even got the chance to experience it.”</p><p>“That’s because he doesn’t like you.” Mark says, nodding.</p><p>Taeil sighs again. Mark wasn’t even trying to be mean, that was the frustrating part of it all. “It’s because you never approached me like the others.”</p><p>Johnny frowns at Mark from across the table, “Mark, try to be a little nicer.”</p><p>“But  I didn’t say anything wrong!”</p><p>“What do you mean like the others?” Jaehyun asks.</p><p>“Like, I don’t know. Everyone else would just come up to me and do it. You never did, so you never got to ‘experience’ it.” Taeil says plainly.</p><p>“I know you don’t mean to, Mark, but sometimes things you say are just a little on the edge of hurtful. Try and think about what you’re about to say and how it’s going to affect someone before you say it.”</p><p>“Name one time I’ve said the wrong thing.”</p><p>“What, so I should just go up to you and grab at you whenever I want? I feel like that would definitely end with me getting in trouble or something.” Jaehyun shakes his head.</p><p>Jungwoo rolls his eyes, “It’s not like that.”</p><p>“You just told Jaehyun to his face that Taeil doesn’t like him. That’s kind of mean.”</p><p>“Jaehyun knows Taeil doesn’t like him.”</p><p>“Then what’s it like?” Jaehyun scoffs. “When you say it out loud it sounds weird. Like, really weird. You can’t deny that.”</p><p>“I’m not denying that, “Jungwoo glowers at him. “I’m just saying that it’s not that weird in practice.”</p><p>“I would have to disagree.” Jaehyun grins.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter if he knows or not, it matters that you’re his friend and not paying attention to what you’re saying to him.”</p><p>“It’s actually not that serious.”</p><p>“You’re just jealous you’ve never rubbed the Taeil Tummy.” Yuta hops in on the argument, not really caring but loving a good argument anyways.</p><p>Jaehyun barks out a laugh, “Jealous? Of you? Unlikely, Nakamoto.”</p><p>“It might not be right now, but it could end up being serious if you’re not careful.”</p><p>“Oh my God, Donghyuck was right. You are playing dad with Taeil.”</p><p>“And what’s that supposed to mean, Jung?” Yuta squints at him.</p><p>“Nothing,” Jaehyun replies, “just that Taeil would let me rub his belly without me having to chase him down.”</p><p>“No, I’m not. I’m telling you as a friend to both you and Jaehyun.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay dad.”</p><p>“He definitely wouldn’t” Donghyuck rejects, “No way in hell he would let you and not me.”</p><p>“Then let's just ask him?” Jaehyun smirks at him.</p><p>“I’m not your dad and neither is Taeil. I’m just trying to help you with something that could potentially be harmful for your relationships in the future.”</p><p>“If you’re not acting like my dad why do you sound just like him? I think we should ask mom what he thinks on this subject.”</p><p>They all turn to look at Taeil’s seat in sync.</p><p>Donghyuck furrows his eyebrows, “Where’d he go?”</p><p>-</p><p>Taeil sighs as he sinks down into his mattress. Once he realized the arguing wasn’t going to stop, or be productive in any way, he knew he could sneak off without anyone noticing. He loved the rest of the counselors, truly, but they were so annoying sometimes. Who even actually fights about someone else’s stomach? It’s like an SNL sketch or something.</p><p>The day was long, made even longer by Taeil being forced to be within close proximity with Jaehyun all day. Even if he realized Jaehyun maybe possibly wasn’t as bad as he had made him out to be in his head, he was still incredibly annoying. Like, it must’ve taken years to really hone in on that skill.</p><p>Put that unique ability to get under Taeil’s skin just by talking on top of everyone else arguing about his stomach and he’s had a sufficient amount of interaction with his coworkers for the day.</p><p>So, he’d snuck off to his cabin. The only place that was purely his. At least, at this moment it was.</p><p>It’s not going to be for too much longer. And, of course, as soon as he thinks this the door opens.</p><p>Taeil turns around in his bed to face the wall, not really caring who was in his cabin as long as they left soon. If it happened to be a murderer, even better.</p><p>He feels the bed dip and groans internally, knowing that no matter what he did now it wasn’t a possibility that he would be left alone for a while.</p><p>“Hey.” Yuta runs a hand through Taeil’s hair. “You ran out of there pretty quickly. Any reason why?”</p><p>Taeil grunts. “I forgot how annoying you all were. I wasn’t prepared.”</p><p>Yuta laughs, “We’re not that bad.”</p><p>“You are. You just don’t even realize it.”</p><p>“Maybe we are.” Yuta acquiesced, “But you’re just as bad.”</p><p>“I’m definitely not.” Taeil denies, pulling his head from under the pillow. “You’re all at, like, a completely different level. It’s jarring.”</p><p>“You’re a drama queen.” Yuta tells him.</p><p>“Maybe.” Taeil concedes. “What’d you need?”</p><p>Yuta looks at him for a minute. “I just wanted to make sure that we didn’t actually upset you or anything.”</p><p>“You didn’t, don’t worry.” Taeil reassures him. Having abs or a flat stomach had never been that important to him. If they wanted to talk about it it wasn’t something to be upset about.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Yuta looks at him worriedly.</p><p>“Of course I am. You know I don’t really mind you guys coming up to me all the time to rub my belly.”</p><p>Yuta gives him a weird look. “That’s not what I’m asking about though?”</p><p>Taeil gives him a weird look back. “Then what were you talking about?”</p><p>“You know.” Yuta raises an eyebrow meaningfully, “The stuff with Johnny.”</p><p>Taeil squints up at him, “What stuff with Johnny? The mom and dad stuff? Cause I could honestly not care less. There’s nothing offensive about being compared to a mother.”</p><p>Yuta looks at him in disbelief before shaking his head. “Yeah. That.”</p><p>“I thought you were full fledged feminist? Why would you think I would care about that?”</p><p>Yuta stares him down, looking like he’s trying really hard to figure something out. What he’s looking for Taeil doesn’t know. “I don’t know. I guess I let my judgment get clouded.”</p><p>Taeil snorts, turning to face the wall again and snuggling deeper into his covers. “Well, don’t worry about it. Now, are you sleeping in here or not? I’m about ready for bed.”</p><p>“No.” Yuta says, standing up from the bed, “I should get back to my own cabin. I have a few more things to get done before tomorrow.” Taeil hums in response, leaning into his touch when Yuta runs his hands through his hair again. “Get some rest. You know the day the campers get here is always the busiest.”</p><p>“I will,” Taeil mumbles. “You try not to stay up too late either.”</p><p>“I won’t. Night, love you.”<br/>
“Love you, too.”</p><p>--</p><p>Taeil groans, dragging himself to stand in between Johnny and Donghyuck at the front of the camp. “Why do we agree to this every year.”</p><p>Donghyuck yawns, shoving a huge thermos in Taeil’s awaiting hands, “I don’t know, but I always regret it around this time.”</p><p>Taeil moans as the first sip of caffeine hits his tongue, knowing with his thermos by his side he could get through anything the day would throw at him.</p><p>Donghyuck quirks an eyebrow at Johnny from around Taeil, “You good John?”</p><p>Johnny shakes his head, staring straight ahead. “I’m too tired to care.”</p><p>Taeil looks in between them. “What happened that he wouldn't be?”</p><p>“Nothing.” They dismiss him in perfect unison.</p><p>“I can’t do this today.” Mark whines, shoving in between Johnny and Taeil so he can wrap his arms around Taeil’s waist and lay his head on his shoulder.</p><p>“Get over it,” Johnny says, taking a large sip from his own thermos. “There’s no going back now.”</p><p>Mark whines again, burrowing himself further into Taeil. “Mom, make him stop talking.”</p><p>“Johnny,” Taeil hisses, “leave him alone.”</p><p>Johnny squawks, “I didn’t even do anything!”</p><p>“You told me to get over it. At least let me complain once in peace.” Mark argues back.</p><p>“Okay, children,” Yuta strolls up to them, “let’s not get hostile.”</p><p>“Who’s getting hostile?” Jungwoo asks from the other side of Johnny, shooting them all a grin.</p><p>“No one is,” Johnny dispels the rumor already spreading, “Mark just doesn’t want to deal with his campers today, apparently.”</p><p>“Or ever again.” Mark adds on.</p><p>“Oh, come on Markie,” Jaehyun swings an arm around his shoulders and pulls him from Taeil. “They’re not that bad.”</p><p>“Oh?” Mark says, pulling himself out of Jaehyun’s grasp and moving next to Taeil again, “If they’re not that bad then why don’t you take them this year?”</p><p>Jaehyun grimaces, shaking his head and hands to say no. “That’s okay. You already got everything ready for them and all, I’d feel bad taking credit for that.”</p><p>Mark scoffs, “Yeah, right. I’ll pretend to believe you.”</p><p>Jaehyun grins at him, slapping the side of his head lightly, “Thanks, Markie.”</p><p>Mark rolls his eyes, leaning further into Taeil’s side. Taeil shifts so he can wrap an arm around Mark, leaching off of his body warmth for the last couple of moments they’ll have to themselves for a while. “It’ll be fine, Mark.” He tells him. “You’re worried about nothing.”</p><p>Mark sighs, standing up to his full height. “You say that now, but it gets bad. Especially right at the beginning.”</p><p>Taeil hums in understanding, only feeling kind of bad about the situation. Mark’s dramatic about it, but in actuality his campers weren’t bad kids. Sure, they did and said some ill-advised things, but they were kids. That’s all they do.</p><p>“Alright, everyone.” Taeyong calls out, stepping in front of them. “When a camper is dropped off that belongs in your cabin, go ahead and help them take their things to where they’re supposed to go. If a camper comes and their counselor is gone already, another counselor should help them out. Make sure they’ve eaten already. If they haven’t, send them to the cafeteria for breakfast. Doyoung has plenty of food made so don’t worry about it. Once everyone’s settled, give them a tour of the campus, try and explain what they’ll be doing while they’re here, and give them the names of the other counselors and what they do if they’re new. Let’s try to make today go as smoothly as possible, please.”</p><p>“You act as if we’ve never done this before.” Donghyuck cuts in.</p><p>Taeyong glares back at him. “I don’t want to hear it from you when last year you lost a kid and waited for thirty minutes to tell me because you and tweedle dum thought you could figure it out on your own.” He motions to Mark.</p><p>“The kid was fine.” Mark defends himself, “He was just in the bathroom.”</p><p>Jungwoo snorts, “Somehow the fact that neither of you bothered to check the bathroom doesn’t make it any better.”</p><p>“Oh, because you’re just the smartest person here.” Donghyuck snipes.</p><p>Jungwoo looks at him blankly, unimpressed. “I’m smart enough to check the bathroom when I can’t find someone.”</p><p>“Okay, moving on,” Taeyong shakes his head. “Here are your rosters, make sure each child is marked off as soon as they get here. Don’t wait until their stuff is put up, don’t wait until you have a full cabin and then cross off their names, do it as soon as they get here. They shouldn’t even make it all the way to you before you’ve asked for their name and crossed it off your list. Do we understand?”</p><p>“We’re not incompetent.” Jaehyun mutters to Johnny. Johnny’s responding snort is cut off by Taeyong’s death glare.</p><p>“I wouldn’t have to remind you of all this if I thought you could figure it out on your own. But considering how you never listen, Jaehyun, we’re going to go over everything again. Is that alright with you, or do you have more to add to this riveting conversation?”</p><p>Yuta whistles as Jaehyun shakes his head. “Old man’s got attitude.”</p><p>“Yuta,” Taeyong turns to him. “I know you don’t want me to get started on when-”</p><p>“No!” Yuta laughs nervously. “You’re right, I don’t. So please, continue.”</p><p>Taeyong glares at him one more time before glancing back at his list of things to do for the day. “Okay, so you all know today will just be a get-to-know-me kind of day. Try to memorise any names you haven’t, make sure your campers at least know your name, and don’t lose anyone.” Donghyuck huffs but says nothing. “And that’s all I have for you right now. We’ll meet around the campfire after dinner for s’mores and mingling. I’ll see you all then.”</p><p>They nod, watching him leave. “You know,” Jaehyun starts. “The scary thing is a hot look on him.”</p><p>Taeil makes a face at him. “You’re disgusting.”</p><p>“Don’t act like you haven’t thought the same thing.” Jaehyun teases. Taeil only rolls his eyes in response. Maybe he had, maybe he hadn’t. Either way, it was none of Jaehyun’s business. “No, really, don’t pretend. People talk.” He waggles his eyebrows.</p><p>Taeil gasps and whips his head to the side. “Yuta!” </p><p>Yuta shrugs, “I didn’t know it was a secret!”</p><p>“Of course it was a secret! He’s basically our boss.”</p><p>Johnny rolls his eyes, “He’s not our boss, he’s our coworker. And you’re older than him anyways so what’s the big deal?” Taeil stays silent, frowning up at him instead of responding. When Mark blocks his line of sight with his big head, he lets up.</p><p>Actually, “What’s your damage?” Taeil scowls.</p><p>“There is no ‘damage’” Johnny snarks back at him, finger quotations and all. “It’s early, and I’m tired of listening to you and Jaehyun fight like three year olds anytime you’re within hearing range of each other. Don’t you think you’re both taking it a little far now?”</p><p>Taeil’s jaw drops. “If you’re so annoyed then get your little butt buddy to lay off.”</p><p>Jaehyun turns to face him head on, “Oh, cause it’s always me, right? May I remind you that you were the one to start throwing around insults last time.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter who starts what,” Johnny stops the fight before it can even really begin, “You’re both adults, it would be splendid if you could act like it for at least five minutes a day.”</p><p>Taeil squares his shoulders, getting ready to start an argument when Donghyuck nudges his ribs, “Just let it go. You can rip them to shreds later, but kids are starting to arrive.” He nudges his chin in the direction of a line of cars.</p><p>“Whatever.” Taeil mutters under his breath, pasting a smile on his face as a kid starts walking up to him.</p><p>“Mr. Jungwoo!” The kid yells, gripping his backpack tighter and sprinting to Jungwoo’s side. “I missed you.”</p><p>“Tae!” Jungwoo yells back, bending down to wrap the younger boy in a hug. “I missed you, too. How have you been?”</p><p>“I’ve been good. Fifth grade was way easier than everyone said it would be.” He tells him as his mother walks up to them.</p><p>“Hi, Jungwoo.” She smiles.</p><p>“Hello, ma’am. Let me take those bags and we can head to the cabin.” Jungwoo says, smiling at the two as he leads the way down the hill.</p><p>Mark watches them walk away. “I wish all campers were that sweet.”</p><p>Donghyuck gives him an annoyed look. “Your campers are sweet, you just don’t even give them a chance to show that side of them to you.”</p><p>Mark looks at him in shock, “How would you even know? You don’t even see them.”</p><p>“Excuse me, I was with Jisung when he had to go to the first aid tent last year. We were in there for like three hours and he was great, you’re just a whiner.”</p><p> </p><p>Mark’s about to respond when another car pulls up. This time, it’s a boy none of them have seen before, walking up with his father. Jaehyun crouches down to talk to the little boy when the pair gets close enough, “Hey little man, what’s your name?”</p><p>The little boy moves to hide behind his father’s legs, but his dad keeps him where he is, motioning for him to answer. “I’m Youngjae.” He answers.</p><p>“I’m Mr. Jaehyun.” Jaehyun offers. “How old are you?” </p><p>The boy looks at his father, but when he gives him a pointed look in return he turns back to Jaehyun. “I just turned eight.”</p><p>Jaehyun gasps in mock surprise, “Wow! Eight already? You must be pretty cool being so old.”</p><p>The little boy, Youngjae, giggles, twisting his feet around and matching the smile on Jaehyun’s face with one of his own. Jaehyun scrunches his nose at him, pinching his cheek before standing up to greet his father. “Hello sir, I’m Jaehyun. Youngjae will be in my cabin this summer.” The older man nods, reaching out to shake hands and introduce himself. “I can help you with getting his bags to the cabin and show you around our campus a little if you’d like? Any questions you have I’ll do my best to answer.” The dad agrees, handing a bag to Jaehyun as they walk off, chatting amicably between themselves and Youngjae.</p><p>“How’d he even know he was one of his campers?” Yuta asks.</p><p>“He’s little, it doesn’t take a genius to find out he would be with the younger kids.” Johnny replies.</p><p>Yuta shrugs, noticing the car pulling into the parking lot and choosing not to say anything else. When the door opens and a boy hops out, Yuta rushes forward to say hello.</p><p>Taeil knows it has to be Seojun, one of Yuta’s favorite campers. Yuta’s first week working there and Seojun had attached himself to him, causing Yuta to look forward to having him every summer.</p><p>They watch as he talks with Seojun’s mother before grabbing the bags from her and moving to the walkway leading to the cabins. “Seojun’s here again?” Donghyuck asks. “Maybe I can get him to distract Yuta for me again.”</p><p>Mark gives him a worried look. “Distract him for what?”</p><p>Donghyuck winks at him, “I may or may not have some plans for Yuta this summer.”</p><p>“You’re ridiculous.” Johnny tells him.</p><p>“Maybe I am, but I take that as a compliment.”</p><p>They all turn back to the car park when they hear someone call out, “Mark!”</p><p>Mark looks up and groans, resigning himself to his fate. “Hey, guys.”</p><p>The two boys, Chenle and Jisung, bound up to Mark, wrapping him in a hug. “So much has happened this year.” Jisung tells him</p><p>“Oh, really?” Mark grimaces.</p><p>“Yeah,” Chenle nods emphatically. “Who knew freshman year could get so crazy?”</p><p>Mark turns to Taeil, leaning in so the kids couldn’t hear. “Please don’t make me go.”</p><p>Taeil laughs, ruffling up Mark’s hair. “You’ll be fine. Now go, have fun.”</p><p>Mark slouches, grabbing a bag from each of the boys and dragging his feet down the path while the boys begin filling him in.</p><p>Taeil faces forward again, crossing his arms while waiting for someone else to pull back up. Donghyuck grabs one of his arms, pulling it to him so he can play with Taeil’s fingers. Taeil ignores him, dropping his other arm to his side. He flinches when his sleeve gets pulled, turning to look at Johnny, silently asking what he wanted.</p><p>“Hey,” Johnny whispers, glancing over at Donghyuck to see him still happily preoccupied. Or at least pretending to be. “I’m sorry. For how I acted earlier.”</p><p>Taeil hums, pulling his arm out of Johnny’s grasp and nodding before turning around again.</p><p>Johnny grunts, nudging Taeil with his elbow. “Taeil, I’m sorry.”</p><p>Taeil glances at him from the corner of his eye. “I heard you.” Another car pulls in.</p><p>“Then what do I have to do to get you to forgive me, Since you’re obviously not.”</p><p>Taeil turns to him quickly, “Not be such an asshole next time.” He shoots him a sarcastic grin before stepping forward to help with luggage.</p><p>“Hi guys!” Taeil says enthusiastically.</p><p>“Hi, Mr. Taeil!” The two boys cry out, rushing forward to hug him. Taeil hugs them back enthusiastically, standing back up to greet their mother.</p><p>“Hello, ma’am.” He shakes her hand. “I hope you’ve been well.”</p><p>“We have, thank you, Taeil. I’m afraid I’m in a little bit of a rush, is it alright if I leave them with you?” Taeil agrees easily. The two boys, Myung and Kyung, were little devils that were not to be trusted, but not with him. They were usually pretty well behaved when Taeil was around.</p><p>Taeil stands to the side, allowing their mother to say her goodbyes to her sons, understanding that it never got easier to leave them, no matter how many summers they had been there. When they’re all done Taeil says his goodbye’s and helps each boy put on their backpack, letting them lead the way to the cabin.</p><p>“So,” Myung starts once they’re further in the trees, “we just wanted to tell you you don’t have to worry about the pranks this year.”</p><p>Taeil squints at him, “What do you mean by that?”</p><p>“You know,” Kyung looks around shiftily, “Don’t worry about it. Like, we have it all figured out for you.”</p><p>Taeil stops where he is, staring at them in disbelief. “Uh, no. We’re not instigating a prank war this year, boys. Reign it in.”</p><p>Myung looks at him, annoyed. “Why not?”</p><p>“Why not? Because I don’t want to spend my summer cleaning up after you two terrorise some poor other souls.”</p><p>“Oh come on Mr. Taeil. Not even Mr. Jaehyun?”</p><p>“No.” Taeil puts his foot down. “Not even him. Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?”</p><p>Myung waves a hand dismissively, “Their pranks were weak. We have way better ones than they could ever come up with.”</p><p>Taeil furrows his eyebrows in concern. “Okay, well still no. Our cabin is permanently on the defense, don’t attack unless provoked and all that.”</p><p>“Okay,” Kyung nods in agreement, “So whose cabin should we get to provoke us so we can attack.”</p><p>“That’s not how that works.” Taeil tells them.</p><p>“It could be.” Kyung mutters.</p><p>“Okay, Mr. Taeil. You can really look at us and say there’s not one person here you would let us pull a prank on? Not one?”</p><p>“No lying.” Kyung quickly adds.</p><p>Taeil considers them for a moment. “It would have to be Mr. Johnny.”</p><p>Myung gasps, scandalized, as Kyung drops his bag to the ground dramatically. “Mr. Johnny?!” They both cry out.</p><p>Taeil gives them a confused look. “Yes? Why are you being so weird.”</p><p>Myung gives him a sad look. “Did you two break up?”</p><p>Taeil gives them an even more confused look. “Break up? We were never dating.”</p><p>Kyung elbows Myung’s ribs, resolutely ignoring his “Ow” in response, and giggles nervously. “Oh, haha. We must have gotten you two mixed up with someone else.”</p><p>“Do you know a lot of Johnny and Taeil’s?” Taeil crosses his arms.</p><p>“Yep!” Kyung giggles again. “Anyways, why Mr. Johnny all of a sudden? We thought you guys were friends.”</p><p>Taeil thinks. He can’t exactly tell the boys ‘because Mr. Johnny decided to be a massive dick for no reason’. Well, he could, but he would never. “Because,” Taeil pauses, “Mr. Johnny never gets pranked or anything. He’s the only counselor left with a squeaky clean record.” The twins nodded in understanding.</p><p>The camp had some kind of weird energy that made everyone in it humiliate themselves in one way or another. During Taeyong’s first year of being head counselor he went to shower only to realise he had forgotten clean clothes. He’d tried to sneak back to his room in the shadows and lurking behind trees, but when one of the younger kids spotted him running they pointed at him and laughed until it had caught all of the campers’ attention in his near vicinity.</p><p>Then the thing with the tarantulas happened to Jaehyun. There’s not a lot of street cred to be had when a child is less scared of a bug than you.</p><p>Yuta cried his first year when his favorite camper left, Doyoung spilled a whole tray of drinks all over himself when a camper said there was a bug on him, and the older kids somehow managed to glue glitter on Jungwoo’s hands and arms without him noticing. He hadn’t been able to get it off for a full week.</p><p>Taeil had been doing a demonstration of what not to do when kayaking and had accidentally tipped himself over. Johnny had to go fish the kayak out because Taeil wasn’t strong enough when it was full of water. It was only slightly soul-crushing to trudge out of the water fully clothed and forced to get someone bigger and stronger than you.</p><p>Taeil’s favorite, though, has to be when one of Mark’s campers told them that he had taken a two hour long shower the night before and was very confused as to what could have taken so long.</p><p>Then, of course, one of Donghyuck’s campers followed it up with, “Oh! Mr. Donghyuck took a really long shower last night, too. Maybe they ran into each other.”</p><p>It had been a weird situation for everyone involved. Having to give the kids half excuses was uncomfortable, and then seeing Mark and Donghyuck right after had made everything weirder. It was totally made worth it to see the looks on their faces when they were told what had happened, though.</p><p>Taeil shakes himself out of his thoughts, looking at the boys who had matching grins spread across their faces. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Kyung says. “We’re just deciding which prank to start with.”</p><p>“No,” Taeil shakes his head. “That was not me giving you permission, that was me being honest with you. Still no pranks.”</p><p>“Sure, Mr. Taeil.” Myung winks at him. “No pranks.”</p><p>“You guys,” Taeil says warningly. “No pranks.”</p><p>Kyung gives him an innocent look. “That’s what we just said.”</p><p>“I’m serious.” Taeil tries one more time.</p><p>“So are we.” Myung assures him, doing nothing to quell his worries as he looks at his twin brother and winks. Like Taeil’s not standing there watching them.</p><p>Whatever. A problem for future Taeil to deal with.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Johnny turns his nose up and away from him.</p><p>“Oh I’m sure you don’t.”</p><p>“Wait, did you really do that to Taeil?” Mark turns to look at Johnny in surprise.</p><p>“He pranked me twice! What else was there to do?”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hi!! I'm so sorry this took me so long to post, but if you follow me on twitter you probably know that some things changed and I'm taking care of two kids now so free time has been a little hard to come by :/ regardless!! we're here now and hopefully it won't take me another month and a half to update lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taeil comes out of his deep sleep slowly, gradually taking in the sounds of seven boys whispering and giggling to each other. “What are you doing?” He groans out.</p><p>The whispering stops abruptly. Taeil can hear the boys shuffle around, all of them ending up in their own beds and under the cover’s before Taeil can open his eyes. “I know you’re awake.”</p><p>Someone sniffles, rolling over and throwing their arm over their face to hide the growing smile. Taeil rolls his eyes, leaning on his elbow to hold himself up. “Hello? Are you all just going to ignore me?”</p><p>The boys continue to pretend to sleep. Taeil sits there for a minute longer, debating if he cares enough to continue to push the issue. On one hand, he was sure whatever they had been up to wasn’t good, but on the other it wasn’t time to wake up yet and he would really love to squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep.</p><p>He’s just laid back down when he hears a scream coming from outside of the cabin. He bolts up, sprinting out the door to see what was going on. In his haste, Taeil just barely misses the boys starting to giggle again. He also manages to miss Myung and Kyung sneaking back in the cabin once they get the signal from the other boys that Taeil’s long gone.</p><p>When he gets to the porch he sees Johnny running out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist. “What’s wrong?” He asks alarmed.</p><p>“What’s wrong? Someone just poured a bucket of ice water over me while I was trying to shower.” Johnny tells him, glaring directly at him.</p><p>“Why are you glaring at me?” Taeil glares back.</p><p>Johnny shakes his head, easing the nasty look off of his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to glare at you. I know you didn’t do anything, I’m just annoyed in general.”</p><p>Taeil nods his head back, hesitating just a little. Jaehyun pops out of his cabin next, rubbing his eyes. “Where’s the fire?” He murmurs, squinting against the sunlight.</p><p>“There’s a fire?” Mark asks, sounding very concerned as he walks closer to them.</p><p>“There’s not a fire.” Donghyuck hits him when he walks up to his side. “Does it look like there’s a fire?”</p><p>Mark shrugs, turning back to Johnny to try and figure out what’s going on. “Someone poured ice water on me while I was showering.” Mark’s eyes widen as Donghyuck snorts hard enough to make him cough.</p><p>“Who poured water on you?” Jaehyun gives him a weird look.</p><p>“I don’t know, obviously.” Johnny rolls his eyes. “I was facing away from them when they did it.”</p><p>Donghyuck scrunches his face up. “Then are you sure someone poured water on you? Maybe the shower just went cold for a second.”</p><p>Johnny shakes his head in response. “There was ice.”</p><p>“There was ice.” Jaehyun repeats disbelievingly. “Where would they have gotten ice? The kitchen is locked at night.”</p><p>“I don’t know, but there was ice. It was actually ice cold water.”</p><p>To get ice someone would have had to go to the kitchen, get in the walk-in freezer, walk all the way to the back and to the ice chest. Which isn’t impossible, but the kitchen gets locked at night to prevent kids being around sharp knives or taking the food and hoarding it in their cabin so they can have a huge feast. Yes, it had happened before.</p><p>The only people who have the key to the kitchen are Doyoung and Taeyong, and they don’t open it up until eight a.m. everyday.</p><p>Taeil tilts his head to the side and squints in question. “How would they have gotten ice?”</p><p>“I don’t know? Maybe it was a counselor.” Johnny responds.</p><p>“A counselor woke up early just so they could pour ice water on you and they didn’t even film it?” Donghyuck scoffs, “No way, it was probably just the heating system messing up.”</p><p>“No, there was ice. Are you seriously telling me none of you believe me?” Johnny looks at each of them in annoyance. When no one says anything he glares, “Fine, then you can go check for yourselves.”</p><p>The group starts walking to the showers, ignoring Johnny’s snarky comments about how they should always believe their friends. When they walk up to the door, Johnny holds it open for them, gesturing angrily to walk ahead. They line up in front of the showers, staring blankly at the floor.</p><p>“Where’s the ice?” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow.</p><p>Johnny’s mouth drops open, looking at the floor and then over at them in shock. “I swear to God there was ice.”</p><p>Donghyuck walks over to him, rubbing his hands over his shoulders. “It was the heating system, Johnny. Take it up with Taeyong.” He turns around and leaves, presumably to try and get a few more minutes of rest before breakfast. </p><p>Jaehyun tsk’s, strolling out the door with Mark behind him, who gives Johnny an apologetic look.</p><p>Johnny turns to Taeil, “You believe me, don’t you?”</p><p>Taeil cringes, “There’s no evidence of anything, Johnny. Maybe it really was the heating system and your tired mind was confused.”</p><p>Johnny shakes his head, exasperated. “Taeil, I’m telling you it was ice cold.”</p><p>Taeil shrugs on his way out the door, “Then maybe you should take it up with Taeyong? I gotta get back to my cabin, the boys were already up and causing hell when I left.” He stumbles out of the door, taking off towards the cabins to hopefully get there before his campers did any real damage.</p><p>Taeil bursts through the door, taking in how it immediately falls silent when he does. “What are you guys up to?” He asks casually.</p><p>“Nothing!” Iseul smiles up at him, “We were just talking about what we thought was going to be served for breakfast today.”</p><p>Taeil nods, not really believing them but deciding to let it go. “Okay then. Get dressed, breakfast is in thirty minutes.”</p><p>He watches as they all scramble up, some grabbing their clothes and some grabbing toiletries to head to the bathroom with. Taeil watches them closely, trying to figure out what exactly it is that they’re covering up. When the thirty minutes are over and they’re lining up to head to the cafeteria, he still has no idea.</p><p>It bothers him on the walk there, but he decides to let it go by the time he sits at the table with the other counselors.</p><p>“I can’t believe it.” Mark’s saying as he walks up to the table with Yuta. “They’re kids and they have this much drama? Some of it has to be made up, right?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Yuta replies, setting his tray down, “I remember high school being pretty crazy.”</p><p>“Are you talking about the kids again?” Jungwoo asks.</p><p>“Always.” Yuta grins at him.</p><p>“What’d they do?” Jaehyun tilts his head towards them.</p><p>“What do you think they did?” Mark shoots back.</p><p>“Hm, well let me think.” Jaehyun puts his chin in his hand, pretending to think hard. Taeil stifles his laughter, looking at Mark and noting the slight glare on his face. “Did they… act like their age and annoy you again?”</p><p>Mark huffs. “Telling me every morbid detail of their lives is not acting their age, it's oversharing.”</p><p>“They overshare because they trust you, Markie.” Taeil explains patiently.</p><p>“I’m terrible at keeping secrets.” Mark deadpans.</p><p>Johnny rolls his eyes, “Don’t be a brat,” He tells Mark. “Earning kids’ trust is hard. You should be happy about it.”</p><p>“Well I’m not.” Mark pouts at him.</p><p>“What are you not doing?” Doyoung asks, walking out of the kitchen with his own tray of food.</p><p>“Nothing.” Mark dismisses quickly, knowing how Doyoung reacts when they talk about the kids negatively.</p><p>Doyoung raises an eyebrow but apparently decides to let it go as he takes his seat. “Okay then.”</p><p>“Hey Doyoung,” Jaehyun calls his attention. “I have a kind of weird question to ask.”</p><p>Doyoung raises an eyebrow, “Okay, I’ll try to answer it then.”</p><p>Jaehyun leans forward, resting his forearms on the table, “Was the kitchen locked when you got here this morning?”</p><p>Doyoung gives him a weird look. “Yes, it was.” He answers slowly, “I lock it every night when I leave. Why do you ask?”</p><p>“Aha!” Donghyuck cries, turning to Johnny and pointing at him from across the table. “You totally woke us up for no reason this morning!” Johnny looks at the ceiling and sighs, not deigning the accusation with a response.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Jungwoo questions them.</p><p>“This morning,” Jaehyun starts explaining. “We all woke up to Johnny screaming bloody murder.”</p><p>“Why was he screaming?” Yuta squints at him.</p><p>“He said someone poured ice cold water on him.” Mark tells him.</p><p>“How would someone get to the ice chest?” Jungwoo motions to the door, “The kitchen is always locked.”</p><p>“That's what we said!” Donghyuck points at Johnny again, “but he swore up and down that there was ice in the water.”</p><p>“But when we went to check it out there was none.” Taeil points out.</p><p>Doyoung snorts, “The shower stalls are also pretty tall. None of the kids would be tall enough to reach over it unless they were stacked on top of each other.” He pauses for a second, “Actually, maybe Jisung would. But I don’t know if he’s smart enough to pull something like that off.”</p><p>Taeil stops chewing, “What did you say?”</p><p>“What, about Jisung? You can’t seriously disagree with me on that.”</p><p>“No,” Taeil shakes his head, “right before that.”</p><p>“About the kids? They’re not tall enough to reach the showers. They’d have to stack to even have a chance.” Doyoung tells him again.</p><p>Yuta laughs, “What, like those old shows where kids would stand on each other's shoulders to get into r-rated movies?” The rest of the table laughs.</p><p>Taeil sits there, staring at his cabin’s table. “You okay?” Johnny nudges him out of his daze.</p><p>Taeil jolts, turning to him and giving him a wide eyed stare. “What? Oh, yeah, I’m good.” He swallows the rest of the food in his mouth. “Hey, do you think we’ve been eating for long enough that most of the kids are done?”</p><p>Johnny looks at his own cabin’s table, taking in how most of them are just shoving each other around and laughing. “Probably, but you could probably get away with sitting here for another few minutes if you wanted to.”</p><p>Taeil lets out a strained laugh, pushing up from his seat. “Yeah, maybe. I should go do a few things before we start our day though.”</p><p>Taeil swings his legs over the bench, walking to the trash cans to throw away his waste before storming over to cabin five’s table. “Cabin, now.” He hisses at them, leaning his hands on the table to get right in their faces. “You have one minute.” He relishes in how they immediately jump up to throw away their trash and head out the door, appreciating the slight bit of fear he must have instilled in them.</p><p>When Taeil gets to the cabin he stands in front of the boys, who have formed a semi-circle, and puts his hands on his hips. “Well,” He starts, looking each of them in the eyes. “Does someone want to tell me what’s going on?”</p><p>“What do you mean, Mr. Taeil?” Jihun looks at him with his big eyes.</p><p>Taeil doesn’t let it affect him. “Give it up, boys. I know everything.”</p><p>Hyunjin gives him a confused look, “What do you know?”</p><p>Taeil looks at them disbelievingly, “This morning. That was you, wasn’t it?”</p><p>Isuel grins up at him, “Of course it wasn’t. Would we ever do something like that?”</p><p>Taeil pushes his tongue into his cheek and gives him an unimpressed look. “Yes, you would.” Isuel continues smiling at him as his friends giggle around them. “Which is why I’m giving you a chance to fess up before I check the cameras in the kitchen. You did know we have cameras in there, right?”</p><p>All of the boys turn to Myung, who’s sitting in the middle, with wide eyes. “Dude.” Minjun hisses at him.</p><p>“We don’t know what you’re talking about.” Myung tilts his chin up defiantly.</p><p>“Should we go look at the footage together then?” Taeil glowers at him.</p><p>“Just tell him.” Kyung throws his hands in the air in defeat.</p><p>“Tell me what?”</p><p>“Whatever. Fine, it might have been us.” Myung confesses, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.</p><p>Taeil laughs in disbelief, shaking his head at them. “I knew it.”</p><p>“Are you going to tell Mr. Taeyong?” Jihun looks up at him with sad eyes.</p><p>Taeil scoffs. “I should,” the boys deflate, “but I won’t, since I don’t have any evidence.”</p><p>Jihun brightens and smiles as wide as he can. “Thank you, Mr. Taeil!”</p><p>Taeil barely holds back a laugh. The boys all had a sort of infatuation for Taeyong. It started the year before, when after Johnny lugged out his sunken kayak Taeyong had stormed over to chew them out. When he was done, he sent the both of them to shower off the lake water and get changed and turned to their campers, who were still standing there watching it all go down. When he knelt down and told them that he would take them to get a snack while their counselors were busy, and it would just be their little secret, add a wink, and Taeil could see at least half of them melt into a puddle of goo. It was quite the spectacle, especially when Taeyong spent the next few weeks being trailed by members of both cabins while Doyoung glared at them from afar.</p><p>“Wait.” Hyunjin furrows his eyebrows, “What do you mean you don't have any evidence? You said there were cameras in the kitchen.”</p><p>Daehwi gasps, “There are no cameras, are there?”</p><p>Taeil smiles smugly, “No, there’s not.”</p><p>The boys groan, annoyed that they had been tricked so easily. “Then how did you figure out it was us?” Kyung asks.</p><p>“The shower stalls are too tall for a camper to reach. Which could mean it was a counselor, but all of the counselors were asleep. You would’ve needed to be lifted, but you weren’t lifted, were you? Myung probably stood on Kyung’s back and tipped to bucket over the edge like that.”</p><p>Myung lights up, “Hey, Mr. Taeil you’re pretty good at this!”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“Does this mean we’re in trouble?” Hyunjin asks.</p><p>“Big.” Taeil nods at him. “What did I say about pranks this year?” He turns to Myung and Kyung.</p><p>“To get someone to provoke us so we can attack.” Kyung nods along to his brother's answer.</p><p>“That is not what I said.” He pinches the bridge of his nose with his pointer finger and thumb.</p><p>“It basically is.” Jihun tells him.</p><p>“No, it’s not. How did you even get into the kitchen to get the ice?” He asks.</p><p>“Oh, Kyung and I learned how to pick locks. We practiced all year just in case we needed to do it when we got here.”</p><p>Taeil looks at them blankly. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”</p><p>“Uh, good job maybe? It was really hard at first.” Myung frowns at him.</p><p>“I’m not going to tell you you did a good job when you broke into the kitchen. An area restricted to campers.” Taeil purses his lips.</p><p>“It’s not like we did anything bad.” Hyunjin perks up.</p><p>Taeil’s jaw drops, “Didn’t do anything bad? You dumped ice cold water on Mr. Johnny.”</p><p>“But can that really be classified as bad?” Jihun asks, “If it made people laugh, was it really wrong?”</p><p>Taeil gives them all a deadpan look, “No more pranks, got it? The next one you pull I tell Taeyong my cabin wants to take over cleaning up the cafeteria after meals, no questions asked.”</p><p>Iseul gapes, “You wouldn’t.”</p><p>“I think we both know I would.”</p><p>--</p><p>“Hey,” Johnny says, falling into step with Taeil on his way to the office. “You ran out of breakfast kind of fast this morning, everything okay?”</p><p>Taeil looks at him in surprise, “Oh, yeah everything’s fine. I just needed to do something.”</p><p>“Does it have something to do with why your campers were giggling their entire field time today?”</p><p>Taeil bites his lip, tilting his head to the side, “No? They were probably just giggly today.”</p><p>“Oh, sure, sure.” Johnny nods his head, “So it wasn’t them this morning? That poured cold water on me during my warm shower.”</p><p>Taeil sighs, “I thought we decided that was a misjudgment on your side.”</p><p>“We did,” Johnny admits, “Until Myung and Kyung asked me how my shower was three different times, and ran off laughing before I could answer.”</p><p>Taeil stops where he is, turning to look up at Johnny. “Huh, that’s so weird. Maybe they heard you screaming?”</p><p>Johnny looks back at him blankly, “I’m sure that’s what it was.”</p><p>“Well I would tell you if it was anything else, of course.” Taeil shrugs, turning to continue walking.</p><p>“Would you though?” Johnny asks, opening the office door for Taeil to walk through.</p><p>“Duh. Why wouldn’t I?”</p><p>“Maybe because you’re still mad at me for getting onto you and Jaehyun?” </p><p>Taeil opens the fridge, grabbing the water bottle he was after in the first place and chugging half of it before turning back to Johnny. “Why would I be mad at you for chastising us like we're toddlers in front of all of our peers? What’s there to be mad about?”</p><p>Johnny sighs, closing his eyes briefly. “So you are mad?”</p><p>Taeil shrugs, grabbing another water bottle before shutting the fridge and walking back to wrench the door open. “I think if you weren’t being a complete ass you wouldn’t have to worry about if I was mad or not. Maybe you could focus on how a bunch of little kids outsmarted you in the first place.” He shoots him a grin before walking out the door and letting the screen slam shut behind him. Asshole.</p><p>--</p><p>“Mr. Taeil.” Hyunjin whispers next to him.</p><p>“What?” Taeil responds, distracted by the papers he needed to fill out.</p><p>“Where do you keep the hose?”</p><p>“Why do you need to know that?” Taeil asks, scribbling out a misspelling.</p><p>“Uh, can this be one of those times you just answer without asking any questions?” Hyunjin scrunches his face at him.</p><p>Taeil stops writing, sighing before turning to Hyunjin, “What are you planning?”</p><p>Hyunjin clasps his hands behind his back, grinning up at Taeil, “We’re not planning anything.”</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes, “Then why are we still whispering?”</p><p>Hyunjin widens his eyes, “Who knows if someone's spying on us, Mr. Taeil. You should always protect your conversations.”</p><p>“That’s not a thing, Hyunjin.”</p><p>“My dad said it is.”</p><p>“Your dad? Whatever, not the point. I’m not telling you where the hose is until you tell me why you need it.”</p><p>“We wanted to pretend it was raining so we could have fun.” He answers quickly. Too quickly.</p><p>“I’m not buying it.” Taeil tells him. “Try again.”</p><p>“Mr. Taeil.” Hyunjin whines.</p><p>“Hyunjin.” Taeil whines back.</p><p>“Why do you hate us?” Hyunjin pouts up at him.</p><p>“I do not hate y’all. Don’t be dramatic.”</p><p>“Why is it that everytime we try to do something fun, you make it not fun.”</p><p>Taeil holds back a laugh at the reference, “Not letting you torment someone for your own enjoyment is not me taking away your fun to be mean. It’s being a responsible adult.”</p><p>“Well being responsible seems boring.” Hyunjin crosses his arms.</p><p>“I’m sure to you it does.” Taeil nods.</p><p>“What’s going on over here, guys.” Jaehyun says with a clap of his hands.</p><p>“Nothing.” Taeil tells him, finally going back to working on his paperwork.</p><p>“I was asking Mr. Taeil where the hose was. We wanted to pretend we were playing in the rain.” Hyunjin quickly explains to JAehyun.</p><p>“Aw, that’s cute.” Jaehyun smiles down at him, ruffling his hair a little bit, “The hose is in the shed, but you didn’t hear that from me.” Jaehyun winks at him.</p><p>“Jaehyun.” Taeil sighs, tilting his head up towards the sky.</p><p>“Thanks, Mr. Jaehyun!” Hyunjin exclaims, throwing his arms around Jaehyun’s waist before running off.</p><p>“He’s cute.” Jaehyun comments idly.</p><p>“Yeah, until he’s doing everything he can to get you in trouble.” Taeil rolls his eyes.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Taeil blows air out through pursed lips, pushing himself away from the table he was working at, “I have to go make sure the kids aren’t getting into trouble now. I’ll see you later, I guess.”</p><p>He’s just taken a step when Jaehyun catches his wrist in his hand, stopping him from moving any farther. “Taeil, wait.”</p><p>“What?” Taeil scrunches his nose in confusion.</p><p>“Go easy on Johnny. He didn’t mean to come off as such an asshole.” Jaehyun tugs on his arm a little bit.</p><p>“Oh my God.” Taeil rolls his eyes, pulling his arm from Jaehyun’s grasp.</p><p>“I’m serious,” Jaehyun insists, “He was frustrated so he was a little brash, but he feels really bad. You should accept his apology.”</p><p>“I’m not the one that made him frustrated, babe.” Taeil grunts out.</p><p>Jaehyun winces, “Sure. Maybe forgive him anyways?”</p><p>“I’m not even actually mad at him.” Taeil admits, exasperated. “Just because I’m being a little bit sarcastic doesn’t mean I’m being some horrible person.”</p><p>“I didn’t say you were.” Jaehyun shakes his head, “But it is making Johnny feel bad, whether you’re meaning to upset him or not.”</p><p>Taeil groans, “Whatever,” he throws a hand up. “I’ll stop bothering him. Can I go now?”</p><p>Jaehyun hesitates, but nods eventually. “Of course you can. Just, maybe don’t tell him you forgive him in the aggressive way you’re saying it now.”</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes again, rubbing at them when they hurt from the strain. “You’re annoying.”</p><p>“Hate to be the one to tell you this, babe, but you’re not really any better.”</p><p>Taeil grunts, finally leaving and heading to the shed to stop some little monsters from being horrible. If Johnny wanted to send his friend to go guilt trip Taeil instead of giving an actual good apology, that was his prerogative. His choice that Taeil didn’t love, but his feelings on the matter weren’t going to make him sit and watch as his campers continued to provoke Johnny. No matter how annoying he may be.</p><p>--</p><p>Taeil walks into his cabin, trying his best to ignore the giggles coming from the corner of the room. It’s ten thirty p.m., he just got done cleaning the cafeteria, and the only thing he really wants is to go to sleep. He doesn’t have the energy to try and stop nine angsty little boys from whatever horrendous plan they’re forming.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil!” Myung calls from his spot on the bed.</p><p>Taeil flops face first onto his bed and closes his eyes, snoring loudly to express his unavailability to any questions at the moment.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil, we know you’re not sleeping. We’re not children.”</p><p>“You’re ten.” Taeil grumbles.</p><p>“Which means we’re in the double digits. So it works out.”</p><p>Taeil groans, throwing an arm across his eyes, “What do you want.”</p><p>“We were just wondering,” Daehwi claps his hands together, “No reason, really, but how would someone set up a camera in the woods and keep it recording for multiple hours without the chance of it dying?”</p><p>Taeil moves his arm, staring at them blankly. “You don’t seriously think I’m going to help you with whatever it is your doing, do you?”</p><p>“No, you’re right.” Iseul nods at him before turning back to his friends, “He’s right, we don’t need the camera. We can all be out there instead.”</p><p>“Eh,” Hyunjin teeters his hand, “I don’t really want to be out there that early.”</p><p>“You’ll have to get over it.” Iseul shrugs.</p><p>“Can you please, please not do whatever it is you’re planning to do? I don’t want to clean the cafeteria even more than you guys don’t.” Taeil gently reminds them of his threat.</p><p>Jihun sighs deeply, “Mr. Taeil, this has nothing to do with us pranking Mr. Johnny. We’re going to prank Minjun instead, that’s it.”</p><p>Taeil looks at them hopelessly, “And what did Minjun do to deserve that?”</p><p>Jihun shrugs, “Nothing, we just thought it would be funny.” The other boys nod in agreement.</p><p>Taeil rubs at his temples, “Well, I don’t know how you could set up a camera all night and have it not die, so. Guess your plan’s going to be foiled after all.”</p><p>The boys shrug, each of them getting up and going to their own beds. “That’s fine, then.” Myung says, shutting off the lights, “We’ll figure something else out.”</p><p>Taeil just rolls over and pulls a pillow over his head.</p><p>--</p><p>“So where are you going now?” Yuta asks, putting up the last of the oars.</p><p>“I’m gonna go wash off and then round up the boys for dinner.” Taeil tells him.</p><p>Yuta nods, following Taeil out of the shed. “You must be tired, are you gonna try to nap before Johnny’s done with them?”</p><p>“No,” Taeil shakes his head, “I’m fine.” Honestly, after trying to convince ten kids to stop holding each other under the water, Taeil is exhausted. Still, there are a couple more hours of the day he has to get through and if he takes a nap now, he’ll never get to sleep at a reasonable time.</p><p>Yuta walks with him across the lawn, telling him about his campers and how sweet they are this year now that they know him. Taeil wishes he could relate more to the sweet part and less to the knowing him part. They’re just discussing the ethics behind ignoring your campers for the day when they come across Taeil’s, hiding behind a giant tree and holding a long piece of rope swung over a tree trunk and tied to a bucket on the other end.</p><p>Taeil heaves a sigh, walking up to them with Yuta trailing behind him. “What is this?”</p><p>Iseul jumps from his spot in the back, whipping around to throw the two counselors a dazzling, but obviously nervous, smile. “Oh, Mr. Taeil and Mr. Yuta! What are you doing here?”</p><p>Yuta gives him a confused grin, “I think we’re more confused about what you’re doing.”</p><p>Hyunjin turns to them with a wide eyed look, “We’re not doing anything, promise. You can go.”</p><p>Taeil squints at him, trying to decide if he’s being serious or not. “We’ll go after you tell us what this is for.”</p><p>Iseul let’s out a nervous little giggle, “This isn’t for anything. We were testing out, uh, simple machines. For science.”</p><p>Taeil crosses his arms. “Right, science. Not any poorly planned pranks.”</p><p>Yuta’s mouth drops open, “Oh my god, it was you guys! You’re the ones who pranked Johnny!”</p><p>“We don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kyung waves a hand to call his attention.</p><p>“So this isn’t you pranking him again, then?” Yuta laughs.</p><p>“We’re not prancing anyone, this is for science.” Iseul tries again.</p><p>“Do you think we’re dense? Why else would you have a bucket full of water ready to be dumped on whatever unexpecting person you’ve decided to target now?” Taeil glares.</p><p>“It’s not for Mr. Johnny.” Daehwi slices a hand through the air, “We promise, now leave before you ruin it.”</p><p>“That’s what you said last time too.” Taeil tilts his head.</p><p>“Come on, Taeil. Let the kids have their fun.” Yuta tries convincing him.</p><p>“Nakamoto, if this somehow falls back on me I swear to god.” Taeil threatens.</p><p>“Shut up!” Musing hisses from the front, “Minjun’s coming.”</p><p>“Mr. Taeil, go.” Hyunjin shoos them away.</p><p>“Aw, can’t we stay to watch?” Yuta pouts down at him.</p><p>“No.” Iseul frowns up at him.</p><p>“Kyung, what do we do?” Daehwi asks.</p><p>The bushes rustle and everyone holds their breath, when someone starts walking out Kyung shouts “Just do it!” and all of the boys release the rope at once, watching as the entire five gallon bucket uphends and spills its contents onto Johnny. </p><p>The entire crowd of boys, including Taeil and Yuta, gasp, looking on in a mixture of shock and humor. “That wasn’t what was supposed to happen.” Iseul mutters.</p><p>“What the hell.” Johnny glares at them. “Really Taeil? You pulled Yuta into this too?”</p><p>Taeil gapes, pointing at himself, “Me? I had nothing to do with this!”</p><p>“Oh, you just happened to walk up right as they tipped it, huh?”</p><p>“Well, no I was already here but-”</p><p>“He tried stopping it.” Yuta steps in, “The kids were an unstoppable force.”</p><p>“Mr. Yuta told us we could do it!” Jihun speaks up, pointing a finger at Yuta.</p><p>“What? I did not-”</p><p>“He did!” Daehwi nods, “He told Mr. Taeil to leave us alone.”</p><p>“Yuta.” Johnny practically growls.</p><p>“Okay, so I did tell Taeil to leave them be, but I didn’t think they were pranking you! They told us it was for one of their friends.” Yuta confesses, waving both hands in front of himself frantically.</p><p>“Yuta,” Johnny sighs, rubbing his forehead, “I hate you and this is your fault.”</p><p>Yuta throws his hands up and sighs in exasperation. The group watches as Johnny trudges past them and to his own cabin, most likely to change. The bushes rustle again and Minjun pops out of them, “Hey, guys. Found the ball.” He smiles at them, lifting the football above his head.</p><p>--</p><p>“Do we all have to go?” Mark asks.</p><p>“Yes, Mark. You all have to go, all of your campers have to go, everyone is expected to be there.”</p><p>“But what if we don’t want to go?” He points at Taeyong.</p><p>“Then you’re going. End of story.” Taeyong gives him his this is the end of our conversation look and turns to everyone else, “We’ll start the fire up in ten minutes so please have your campers at the field by then. There’ll be enough for everyone to have two s’mores, if someone wants more then they can strike a deal, I don’t know, and then you can just go back to your cabin when all of your campers have decided they’re done for the night.”</p><p>“Can we force them to go back to the cabin?” Mark pushes out his lips.</p><p>“Like your campers would listen to you anyways.” Taeyong says as he walks out.</p><p>Mark pouts as they stand up and start leaving. “I’m tired.” He whines.</p><p>“You’re always tired.” Jaehyun deadpans.</p><p>“Well if we got to sleep at a normal time, maybe I wouldn’t be.” Mark snarks.</p><p>“Well if you and Donghyuck didn’t keep me up all night with your giggling, maybe I would care more.” Jaehyun snarks back.</p><p>Mark glares, “Taeil.”</p><p>Taeil sighs, “What?”</p><p>“Tell Jaehyun to go away.”</p><p>Jaehyun glares back at him, “Johnny.”</p><p>Johnny groans, turning to face them. “What do you want?”</p><p>“Tell Mark to stop being a baby.”</p><p>“Tell Jaehyun I’m twenty, I am a baby.”</p><p>“Tell Mark that’s not something to be proud of.”</p><p>“Tell Jaehyun I’ve never been prouder.”</p><p>“Tell Mark-”</p><p>“Enough,” Johnny stops them, “Jesus Christ, that is enough.”</p><p>“You’re both adults, why do we have to separate you like you’re children?” Taeil asks.</p><p>“I didn’t even do anything.” Mark grumbles, crossing his arms.</p><p>Taeil goes to respond when Donghyuck brushes past them, “Come on mom and dad, first one to get their campers there doesn’t have to clean up afterwards.”</p><p>-</p><p>“I’m just saying, it’s cheating when all of your campers are already in the field messing around.” Donghyuck insists.</p><p>Taeil scoffs, “It wouldn’t be considered cheating if it was your campers.” Donghyuck shrugs, not denying the claim.</p><p>Jungwoo stands up, “I’m going to get another drink, y’all keep going with the same argument you’ve been going back to for an hour now.” Taeil makes a face at his back as he walks away.</p><p>“You!” Yuta calls, pointing a finger at Taeil as he walks towards where he and Donghyuck are sitting. Taeil reels back, looking behind him and then points a finger at his chest and mouths ‘me?’. “Yes, you!”</p><p>“Jesus, Taeil, what did you do?” Donghyuck leans over and whispers.</p><p>“I didn’t think I did anything.” Taeil whispers back.</p><p>“You know exactly what you did.” Yuta groans as he falls into the seat Jungwoo left behind, “You let your demon campers lie and tell Johnny I was in on their stupid prank and now he keeps side eyeing me whenever we’re in the same room as each other.”</p><p>“Wait, what? Taeil, your kids are pranking Johnny?” Donghyuck turns to him in astonishment.</p><p>“They weren’t pranking Johnny,” He insists, “They were trying to prank one of their friends, Johnny just ended up being there.”</p><p>“And then you blamed it all on me,” Yuta tsks, “You’re an asshole.”</p><p>Donghyuck laughs, clapping his hands together once. “You should’ve just taken the blame, it’s not like Johnny would have stayed mad at you for long.”</p><p>Jungwoo walks back up to them, “What did you do to make Johnny mad?” He groans when he sees Yuta in his seat and nudges his shoulder with his hand, “Up, give me my seat back.”</p><p>Yuta whines, “I’m being defamed and you want me to give you my seat? What is this?”</p><p>Jungwoo rolls his eyes, “Just take the damn seat you cry baby.” He walks to where Taeil is sitting, plopping onto his lap and ignoring Taeil’s ‘oof’ in response. “So what’s going on?</p><p>Yuta groans louder this time, “I was blamed for something I didn’t even do because Taeil’s campers weirdly idolize him and threw me under the bus so he didn’t get in trouble.”</p><p>Jungwoo laughs, throwing his head back and narrowly missing smashing Taeil’s nose with it. “You’re getting picked on by a bunch of kids?”</p><p>“I’m getting picked on by Johnny.” Yuta clarifies.</p><p>“Johnny didn’t even do anything!” Taeil calls, leaning over to talk around Jungwoo’s body. “He literally did nothing, he just stormed away.”</p><p>“He keeps glaring at me!” Yuta cries, “He’s always glaring, everywhere I go he’s around the corner glaring at me.”</p><p>“Yuta,” Taeil shakes his head, “It’s been a day.”</p><p>“A day of death glares from a giant, Taeil. You wouldn’t understand.” Yuta waves him off.</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes, ignoring the laughter from Jungwoo and Donghyuck. “Johnny!” Jungwoo shouts, waving him over, “Come here, man.”</p><p>“What?” Johnny asks, giving the two giggling boys a weird look, Yuta a glare, and Taeil a half smile.</p><p>“It’s so terrible, isn’t it?” Jungwoo asks sarcastically.</p><p>“What is?” Johnny narrows his eyes.</p><p>“That Yuta has been conspiring against you this whole time.” Donghyuck grins at him.</p><p>“Yeah, it is,” He narrows his eyes, “Uh, why exactly is Jungwoo sitting on Taeil though?”</p><p>Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “Of course that’s what you focus on.”</p><p>“He makes a good point though.” Taeil says, pushing Jungwoo’s back, “You’re way bigger than I am and you’re crushing me.”</p><p>Jungwoo looks at him in betrayal, “Yuta took my seat.”</p><p>Taeil nods, “Okay, so why have I become your new seat?”</p><p>Jungwoo huffs, “Fine then.” He stands, pulling Taeil up with him just to sit himself in the chair and redirecting Taeil to sit on his legs. “Better?”</p><p>Taeil shifts around, “Not really what I meant but much, much better.” He takes in a gulp of air.</p><p>“Why are you and Yuta pranking me?” Johnny demands, grabbing a chair and moving it to their little circle.</p><p>“Oh my god, Johnny.” Taeil groans, “How many times do I have to tell you, we were not pranking you. We just ended up coming across the kids as they were trying to prank who? Minjun. You just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.”</p><p>“Why do I not believe you?” Johnny crinkles his nose.</p><p>“Because you’re paranoid.” Taeil tells him matter-of-factly.</p><p>“No, I think it’s because you’re still mad at me and trying to ruin my life.” Johnny narrows his eyes at him.</p><p>“I would never do that.” Taeil scoffs, rolling his eyes.</p><p>“He wouldn’t,” Jungwoo agrees.</p><p>Johnny gives him a weird look before shifting his focus back to Taeil, “I’m just saying you should watch your back. We might just prank you back.”</p><p>“I really couldn't care less,” Taeil assures him, “The kids have my back.”</p><p>“I would be scared,” Johnny tells him, “But I really can’t take you seriously when you’re sitting on another grown man's lap.”</p><p>Taeil lays back against Jungwoo’s chest, making himself comfortable. “I can beat your ass in Jungwoo’s lap, or Yuta’s lap, or I’ll crawl on your lap and beat your ass like that too.”</p><p>Johnny furrows his eyebrows, tilting his head in confusion. Taeil cringes, “Yeah, that sounded way more threatening and less suggestive in my head.”</p><p>“I bet,” Johnny leans forward, “Lap’s open though.” Taeil laughs, putting a hand on Johnny’s forehead and pushes him away.</p><p>Jungwoo shifts in his seat, “I don’t know how I feel about two people flirting when one of them is sitting in my lap.”</p><p>Taeil slaps his chest, “Shut up, we were not.”</p><p>“You were a little bit,” Donghyuck chooses that moment to speak.</p><p>Taeil looks over as Johnny shrugs in agreement. “Whatever, you guys are dumb.”</p><p>“Alright, well you stay here, keep the mood going, I’m gonna go take care of that.” Jungwoo motions to his campers stacking on top of each other in a pyramid to reach a tree branch. Taeil stands to allow him to slip out of the seat, sitting back down on it when he’s gone.</p><p>“What’s up cuties?” Jaehyun greets them when he’s finally able to pull away from the kids, going to sit on Taeil.</p><p>“No,” Johnny says simply, grabbing Jaehyun’s arm and pulling him away from Taeil’s chair.</p><p>“What?” Jaehyun grumbles, “Jungwoo was sitting on him earlier.”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter, no.” Johnny shakes his head.</p><p>Taeil sighs and stands up, “We can just switch spots, Jaehyun.”</p><p>“Sure.” Jaehyun shrugs, sitting in the seat and opening his arms for Taeil. </p><p>Taeil goes to take a seat when Johnny grabs his arm and pulls him back, “Mm, no. That’s somehow ten times worse.”</p><p> </p><p>“You are so weird,” Taeil mutters, deciding to just sit sideways across Johnny’s legs with his knees hooked over the armrest.</p><p>Johnny jolts, holding his hands to the sides of him awkwardly, “Oh, uh, okay,” He sputters.</p><p>Yuta raises an eyebrow at them, “New scenario. Not super surprised, but definitely a little.”</p><p>“What?” Taeil scrunches up his face in question.</p><p>Johnny snaps out of whatever weird confused state he was in and rests an arm on the armrest behind Taeil’s back and the other across his stomach, “So,” He leans further into Taeil’s space, “Is this the part where you kick my ass?”</p><p>“I hate you.” Taeil tells him.</p><p>--</p><p>Taeil wakes up and just stares at the ceiling for a moment. Another day of trying to reign in kids that simultaneously love him and refuse to listen to him at the same time.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil,” Minjun whispers sleepily, “Are you awake?”</p><p>Taeil closes his eyes briefly, “Yeah, let's get ready.”</p><p>The boys all get up, getting dressed and putting their pajamas away. Taeil sits there for another minute, relishing in the last few moments of relative silence that he’ll be getting for the day. When everyone’s dressed and ready, and he’s managed to haul himself out of bed and get himself put together for the day, Taeil leads his campers out of the cabin.</p><p>When he opens the door, a ten gallon bucket filled to the top with water topples over and starts flooding their room. “Oh, shit,” Taeil hisses, “Pick up any clothes or electronics, now!” He shouts over the boys’ scream, rushing over to pick his bed sheets off of the floor and snatch his extension cord from it’s socket.</p><p>“What the hell!” Myung shouts from where he’s rapidly pulling dirty clothes from under his bed.</p><p>“Language, Myung.” Taeil snaps. He stands in the middle of the room, looking morosely at the now empty bucket laying on it’s side. “I’m gonna have to clean this up again, aren’t I?” Kyung wordlessly claps a hand of support on his shoulder.</p><p>-</p><p>Taeil storms into the cafeteria and over to the counselor’s table, slamming his hands down on top of it when he gets there. “What the hell, Seo.” He practically growls out.</p><p>“Jesus,” Johnny hisses, raising his bowl of stew before it can spill over the edge and onto the table.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Mark asks, looking in between them.</p><p>“Johnny flooded my room, that’s what’s going on.” Taeil informs him, still glowering at Johnny.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Johnny turns his nose up and away from him.</p><p>“Oh I’m sure you don’t.”</p><p>“Wait, did you really do that to Taeil?” Mark turns to look at Johnny in surprise.</p><p>“He pranked me twice! What else was there to do?”</p><p>“I didn’t do shit!” Taeil shouts.</p><p>“Why do your pranks always include water?” Yuta asks from the side.</p><p>“It’s a kink of Johnny’s,” Taeil smiles sarcastically, “Just helping out.”</p><p>“It is not.” Johnny sputters.</p><p>“I bet you do, Taeil.” Jaehyun murmurs under his breath.</p><p>“You’re going down, Seo.” Taeil leans in.</p><p>“Looking forward to it, Moon.” Johnny leans in even further.</p><p>“Ugh,” Jungwoo gags, “Could you two just get a room?”</p><p>Taeil shakes off the comment, “It’s on, Seo. Sleep with one eye open.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m so scared I’m shaking in my boots!” Johnny yells at his retreating back.</p><p>“You should be!” Taeil yells back.</p><p>--</p><p>“Alright boys,” Taeil whispers, “Is everything ready?”</p><p>“Mr. Taeil, I really think we should listen to one of Myung and Kyung’s ideas.” Minjun whispers back.</p><p>“What? Why? This is a great idea.” Taeil motions to their set up.</p><p>Jihun closes an eye and squints up at the makeshift catapult they had built, “It could be, if it didn’t look like it was going to fall apart and kill us all.”</p><p>Taeil makes an offended noise, “It’s fine the way it is. Now get ready.” The boys grumble but do as they’re told, pulling back the buchet as far as they can. “Wait, wait, wait.” Taeil says, tracking Johnny walking across the field.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil we’re waiting.” Jihun hisses.</p><p>“And now!” Taeil whisper shouts, slicing an arm through the air definitively. Hyunjin and Daehwi let go of the bucket and they all watch as the giant water balloon sails through the air, only to land at least three feet in front of Johnny and not even pop.</p><p>Johnny jumps, whipping his head around frantically and finally landing directly on the cluster of campers and their counselor. “Is that really the best you’ve got?” He yells over.</p><p>“You just wait!” Taeil yells back, ignoring the way the boys cover their faces in embarrassment.</p><p>“I’ll wait for you forever, babe!” Johnny shouts, laughing at them.</p><p>“Jesus,” Myung moans, “Could it be any more obvious?”</p><p>“Let’s go,” Taeil makes shooing motions with both hands, “Come on, off to lunch we go.”</p><p>“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for your boyfriend?” Iseul asks, motioning to Johnny starting to walk in their direction.</p><p>“He’s not my boyfriend, and we’re in a war right now. Of course not.” Taeil scoffs. He gently pushes them to keep walking, ignoring Johnny calling his name.</p><p>They’ve just reached the door when Taeil feels someone grab and pull on his shirt sleeve, “Jesus, Taeil. What, are we children now?” Johnny scolds him.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Taeil turns his nose up at him.</p><p>“Would you knock it off?” Johnny scowls.</p><p>“You flooded my entire cabin.” Taeil seethes.</p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry.” Johnny raises both arms up in defense, “But to be fair I didn’t think you’d be this mad. You weren’t with Jaehyun.”</p><p>Taeil straightens up, pasting a pleasant smile on his face. “Who’s mad? I’m not mad.”</p><p>“You’re not mad?” Johnny asks, disbelieving. “So you weren’t ignoring me calling your name?”</p><p>“I didn’t hear you.” Taeil brushes him off, grabbing a bowl of dakdori-tang and a side bowl of rice and heading to a table.</p><p>“Sure,” Johnny crinkles his nose, “You gonna tell me why you’re being an ass when you were never like this with Jaehyun?”</p><p>Taeil puts his hands on either side of his tray, turning to Johnny in annoyance. “You blamed me for something I had nothing to do with, and then again for something that was meant for someone else. I didn’t care that Jaehyun was pranking me because he’s an asshole and I kind of deserved it for not stopping the tarantula thing. You, however, have been one of my closest friends here and refuse to believe me when I say I wasn’t trying to screw you over because you were an asshole to me a week ago. I did nothing wrong and yet someone I spend all of my free time with for half of the summer refuses to believe that I am capable of handling my emotions like an adult and not some pissed off thirteen year old. So excuse me, Johnny, if I’m just a little more pissy about my shit getting ruined at the hands of someone I thought was on my side, at least most of the time, when I did abso-fucking-lutely nothing to deserve it.”</p><p>“Wow,” Mark says, staring at them with his mouth open.</p><p>“Taeil,” Johnny starts.</p><p>“Come on, Taeil.” Donghyuck interrupts him, pulling Taeil out of his seat and grabbing his tray with his free hand, “Let’s go eat in my cabin today.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Taeil mutters, once again ignoring Johnny calling his name as he walks away from him.</p><p>-</p><p>“Okay,” Donghyuck sits on his bed, “What the hell was that?”</p><p>“Johnny’s an asshole.” Taeil says, picking at his food.</p><p>“He is,” Donghyuck agrees, “but I’ve never seen you freak out like that.”</p><p>Taeil shrugs, not looking up from his tray. “He wouldn’t leave me alone, I was annoyed, things were said.”</p><p>“Yeah, no shit.” Donghyuck says, laughter clear in his voice, “But it’s Johnny. I didn’t even know you could actually get mad at him, I thought you were joking.”</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes to himself, not really wanting to dive into that. “Look, why didn't you help me?” He switches the topic seamlessly.</p><p>Donghyuck rolls his eyes in response, so maybe not so seamlessly, but moves on. “Help you with what?”</p><p>“Help me prank Johnny. I’m apparently not the best at it and when I first met you I pegged you as the devil’s reincarnate, so I’m sure you have a few tricks up your sleeve.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Donghyuck sniffs snootily, “and sure, I can help. What are we looking for? Permanent scar level or looking behind doors level?”</p><p>Taeil looks at him, genuinely worried. “Definitely not scar worthy. Never that.”</p><p>Donghyuck shrugs, “Okay, but this is a more long-term plan than just dousing the guy in water. Are you in?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>-- </p><p>“Screw, Jihun.” Taeil whispers, holding out his hand palm out.</p><p>“Screw.” Jihun whispers when he places it in Taeil’s hand.</p><p>“Myung, raise the flashlight a little more.” Taeil tells him. Myung does, and they sit in complete silence for a minute while Taeil finishes with the last screw. “Okay, done.” He sits back on his haunches. The boys go to cheer, stopping when Taeil hushes them sharply.</p><p>“Can we go to sleep now?” Hyunjin groans, rubbing at his eyes.</p><p>“Yeah. Good work boys, let’s get some rest.” Taeil says, still whispering, and leads them back to their own cabin.</p><p>-</p><p>Johnny storms into the cafeteria with his campers chattering away behind him, looking around and locking eyes with Taeil. Taeil squeaks, turning around and pretending to be immersed in Donghyuck and Yuta’s conversation.</p><p>“Taeil.” Johnny says as pleasantly as he can manage. “How are you today?”</p><p>Taeil looks up at him and smiles, “I’m doing great, thanks for asking. And yourself?”</p><p>Johnny smiles back, leaning against the table. “I was doing fine. Woke up before my alarm so I got to laze around for a little which was nice. Hm, what else? Oh, yeah, I went to leave and my door wouldn’t open for some reason. Weird, right?”</p><p>“Really weird.” Taeil nods along.</p><p>“It was. Then I went to figure out what happened, and it got even weirder.” He pauses, staring Taeil down the whole time.</p><p>“Well what happened?” Jungwoo pushes.</p><p>“Someone switched the door handle so we were locked in from the outside.” Donghyuck snorts, then tries covering the sound with a cough. “I was trying to get someone’s attention as everyone went to breakfast, but apparently no one heard me. Then I tried calling everyone, but something must’ve been going on because no one answered. Until I called Taeyong, of course.”</p><p>Taeil snorts this time. “That must’ve sucked.” He says bluntly. It had cost him ten bucks to each counselor to buy their silence, but it was definitely worth it. Taeil knew there was no way Johnny could tell Taeyong the real reason the handle had been switched around because Taeyong would just yell at them for starting something so childish in front of the kids and make them call it off, and Johnny has too much pride to let that happen.</p><p>The perfect crime, Donghyuck had said.</p><p> “It did, but what we’re going to do to you is gonna suck even more.” Johnny purses his lips.</p><p>“I’m looking forward to it.” Taeil says, patting Johnny’s hand placatingly.</p><p>--</p><p>“Let’s get washed up before dinner.” Taeil tells his campers, eyeing their sopping wet clothes.</p><p>“Last one there has to clean up after everyone else!” Iseul shouts, sprinting in between the other boys to get a head start. Taeil chuckles to himself at the indignant yells the boys let out before speeding off in the same way, leaving him behind.</p><p>He strolls leisurely up the hill and across the field, taking in how peaceful the campgrounds feel at this time. With the sun setting and almost everyone resting up in their cabins before they eat, it reminds Taeil why he was so entranced with everything his first year at the camp.</p><p>He walks up to the cabin, not really paying attention to what’s in front of him, and almost runs into the huddle of boys blocking the door. “What are you doing?” Hyunjin turns to him with wide eyes, saying nothing but raising a hand to point into the cabin.</p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes, pushing through the throng of boys to be able to see inside the cabin. “Holy shit.” He gapes, mouth wide open as he takes in the damage that’s been done to their things.</p><p>“It was those assholes in cabin six.” Myung scowls.</p><p>“Myung, language.” Taeil absentmindedly reminds him, still staring at their room.</p><p>“Why do you get to swear and we don’t.” Myung groans.</p><p>“I’m an adult and I don't swear.” Taeil gives him a disapproving look.</p><p>“You just swore!”</p><p>“No I didn’t.” Taaeil says primly. “Alright, let’s get started on undoing this mess.”</p><p>-</p><p>Johnny steals the seat next to Taeil before Yuta can get to it, smiling smugly at the other man as he rolls his eyes and moves to a different chair. “Hey, babe.” He smiles.</p><p>“Johnny.” Taeil glances at him, reaching forward to grab a roll and rip it open.</p><p>“Anything interesting happen lately?” Johnny asks innocently.</p><p>Taeil screws up his face, looking at the ceiling and feigning thinking it through. “No, can’t say it has.” He grins, shrugging and going back to his food.</p><p>Johnny narrows his eyes, “Really?”</p><p>“Really.” Taeil doesn’t look up from his plate, “It’s nice you’re so concerned though.”</p><p>Johnny scoffs, leaning back in his chair. “You’re good at the pretending thing.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Taeil pats his thigh, “Eat up, you’re gonna need energy to fend me off when I beat your ass later.”</p><p>Johnny snorts, “There it is.”</p><p>“What happened this time?” Yuta asks.</p><p>“He taped up every single thing in my cabin.” Taeil exhales through his nose.</p><p>“Everything?” Yuta asks.</p><p>“Everything. Pillows, beds, dressers, lamps, chargers. Everything.”</p><p>“Oh my god Johnny,” Jaehyun gasps through his laughter, “You’re horrible.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Johnny nods once, smiling wide.</p><p>--</p><p>“I don’t know.” Jungwoo sighs, “I just feel like whatever I say, even if it’s something good, they do the exact opposite.”</p><p>“It’s because they like you,” Taeil explains, flipping through his magazine diligently, “If they didn’t trust you or like you, they wouldn’t be teasing you so much.”</p><p>Jungwoo groans, flopping back on the bed, “At this point I wish they hated me.”</p><p>“No you don’t.” Taeil turns a page.</p><p>“Yes I d-” The door of Taeil’s cabin swings open with a bang and they both look up, watching Johnny try to walk through only to ricochet backwards.</p><p>“God dammit, Taeil!” He shouts.</p><p>Taeil tries to hide his laughter in the back of his hand. “What?”</p><p>“I’m going to actually kill you this time.” Johnny glares murderously.</p><p>“What’s wrong with you?” Jungwoo asks, eyeing Johnny up and down.</p><p>“We taped the doors.” Taeil says with laughter in his voice, watching Johnny fight the tape off of the door frame.</p><p>“You taped the doors?” Jungwoo squints.</p><p>“Yeah. We measured where we thought Johnny’s head would be when he walks through a door, then put clear tape across it so he would run into it when he walked through.” Taeil explains, “This is the first time I’ve seen it happen though.”</p><p>Jungwoo looks at him incredulously, “What if someone else ran into it?”</p><p>“No one’s at Johnny’s height.” Taeil waves him off.</p><p>“I am.” Jungwoo gives him an offended look.</p><p>“Have you run into any tape?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Then I guess you’re not.” Taeil shrugs.</p><p>“Who’s ‘we’ again?”</p><p>“Me and the boys.” Taeil explains.</p><p>“You're teaching your campers to be evil little shits?”</p><p>“I’m teaching them to stand up for themselves.” Taeil clarifies.</p><p>“Taeil,” Johnny sits next to him on the bed, “I’m begging you, take the tape down.”</p><p>Taeil hums, opening his magazine back up. “Don’t really feel like it.”</p><p>“I can’t live my life running into tape everytime I walk through a damn door.” Johnny whines.</p><p>“Why don’t you just duck?” Jungwoo asks.</p><p>“You try remembering to duck when you do something as mundane as walking through a door.” Johnny hisses.</p><p>“You taped up everything in my cabin.” Taeil says brightly, “It took two days to get all of it off.”</p><p>“So you’re not going to help me?”</p><p>“Nope.” Taeil pops the ‘p’. “Do what Jungwoo said, just duck.”</p><p>“I hate you.” Johnny tells him.</p><p>“I keep hearing that, but for some reason I don’t really believe it.” Taeil smiles to himself smugly.</p><p>--</p><p>“Oh, wow.” Mark gapes, “What happened to you?”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Donghyuck asks, shaking Mark’s hands off of his face.</p><p>“Have you not looked in a mirror?” Mark grimaces.</p><p>“Not since this morning.” Donghyuck shakes his head.</p><p>Mark hesitates, “Maybe you should.”</p><p>“And what is that supposed to mean?” Donghyuck puts his hands on his hips.</p><p>“Nothing bad!” Mark shakes his head, “Just, uh, maybe check it out when you have the chance?”</p><p>“Why do you look like you’re going to kill Mark?” Taeil slides up to them.</p><p>Donghyuck turns to explain, bursting into laughter when he sees Taeil, drowning out Taeil’s “Oh my god.”</p><p>“What happened to you?” They say in sync.</p><p>“Wait what?” Donghyuck asks, “What’s up with you?”</p><p>“Me?” Taeil points to his chest, “What about you?”</p><p>“What is wrong with everyone today.” Donghyuck sighs to himself.</p><p>“It’s the both of you.” Mark rolls his eyes, “Go look in a mirror or something.”</p><p>“You sound like a broken record.” Donghyuck scoffs as he pulls out his phone, “There’s nothing wro- Oh my god!” He screams, dropping his phone.</p><p>“What?” Taeil shouts, bending down to pick up the dropped phone. “What is so horrible that y- what the hell?” He throws the phone back on the ground. “What is happening.”</p><p>“Son of a bitch.” Donghyuck mutters, turning and speed walking to the bathroom. Taeil jogs a little to catch up with him and they walk into the bathroom together. “I know exactly what it is.” He grabs his toner from the shelf, spinning the top of and tipping it over the sink. The liquid drains out, bright red in color. “That asshole dyed my toner.” He whips around, storming back out of the bathroom and speeding across the field to Johnny’s cabin.</p><p>Taeil watches him kick the door open, shoving his way inside and yelling for all the shocked campers inside to get out. “What are you doing?” Johnny laughs at their red faces.</p><p>“What in the world is wrong with you? Were you dropped on the head as a baby?” Donghyuck screeches when all of the kids are out of sight.</p><p>“No, actually, I never was surprisingly.” Johnny grins.</p><p>Donghyuck steps closer, shoving Johnny back a little bit. “Why would you do this to me? I’m not in your dumb little game to get Taeil to notice you more.”</p><p>“I know you're helping him.” Johnny steps back into Donghyuck’s space, “You help him, you get pranked like him.”</p><p>“I didn’t do shit.” Donghyuck bites back, getting so close to Johnny their noses are practically touching.</p><p>“Of course you didn’t. Because Taeil would just come up with those pranks on his own, right?”</p><p>“Hey.” Taeil frowns.</p><p>“You’re an ass.” Donghyuck glares.</p><p>“Thank you, darling.” Johnny smiles sarcastically.</p><p>“Uh, should I go?” Taeil asks, starting to get uncomfortable with the tension filling the room.</p><p>Donghyuck pushes Johnny’s head away, making a satisfied noise in the back of his throat when he stumbles back and has to grab onto one of the bunks to keep from toppling over. “Of course not, Taeilie. We were just leaving anyways weren’t we?” He slinks over to Taeil, wrapping an arm around one of the elders forearms and shooting a not nice smile at Johnny. “We’ll see you later, Seo.”</p><p>Taeil flinches in pain at the tight grip Donghyuck has on his arm, pulling away when they’re out of the cabin and down the walkway. “Jesus, Donghyuck. Be a little lighter next time.”</p><p>“We cannot let that asshole win.” Donghyuck huffs.</p><p>“Obviously,” Taeil rolls his eyes, “but what’s our next move?”</p><p>Donghyuck shakes his head, “Meet me in my cabin before dinner. We’ll talk then.” Taeil nods, letting Donghyuck storm away like the drama queen he is.</p><p>It was probably a conversation they should have in confidence anyways.</p><p>-</p><p>“How dare you!” Taeil can hear Donghyuck screaming before he even reaches the door of his cabin.</p><p>“I did nothing wrong.” Oh, it’s Mark he’s fighting with.</p><p>Taeil peeks through the cracked door, taking in how they’re standing opposite each other on opposite sides of the room. “You are the biggest asshole I will ever meet.” Donghyuck says, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p>“I’m not an asshole for doing exactly what you’re doing.” Mark rebuttals.</p><p>“The comparison is insulting.” Donghyuck turns away in disdain, “I would never do what you’re doing.”</p><p>“Oh my god,” Mark laughs. It doesn’t sound like he finds it very funny. “Stop acting all high and mighty, we’re two sides of the same coin here.”</p><p>“No,” Donghyuck scoffs, “We’re not. I’m helping a friend, you’re using one.”</p><p>“You are absolutely tragic.” Mark shakes his head.</p><p>“And you’re a bastard.” Donghyuck throws back.</p><p>Mark opens his mouth to fire back, before he closes it and composes himself. “You know what, Donghyuck? I’ll pray for you.”</p><p>Donghyuck gasps, stomping a foot, “You take that back right now, Mark Lee.” He says, looking like he’s about half a second away from pouncing on him.</p><p>Taeil decides that’s his cue. “What is going on here?” Taeil asks, pushing through the door fully.</p><p>Donghyuck whips around to face him, throwing an arm out to point at Mark, “He’s been feeding Johnny information!”</p><p>Mark opens his mouth and then closes it again, resembling a fish. “You’re what?” Taeil gapes.</p><p>“He’s been telling Johnny everything I’ve said to him.” Donghyuck pouts, “He’s been playing me like a fool, Taeil.”</p><p>“Oh Donghyuck,” Taeil sighs, opening his arms and letting Donghyuck slump against his chest, “Why don’t you get out of here, Mark? You obviously can’t be trusted anyways.”</p><p>Mark gives Taeil an offended look, “I was helping out a friend.”</p><p>Taeil raises an eyebrow, “At the expense of another friend,” He nods down at Donghyuck. “Go get dinner, make sure my kids aren’t raising too much hell while you’re at it.”</p><p>Mark deflates a little, nodding and heading to the door, “I-”</p><p>“Just go, Mark.” Donghyuck grits out, voice watery in a way that lets everyone in the room know he’s crying right now. Mark looks away, walking out the door and letting the screen bang back closed.</p><p>Donghyuck stays where he is for a moment, relaxing in Taeil’s hold as he rocks him back and forth. “Is he gone?” He asks, lifting his head up a little.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s gone.” Taeil confirms.</p><p>“Good,” Donghyuck shrugs Taeil’s arms from around him, wiping gently under his eyes to get rid of any stray tears, “I didn’t want a traitor in my room a second longer.”</p><p>Taeil looks at him in surprise, “You okay?”</p><p>“Of course I am,” Donghyuck chuckles, “Like Mark Lee could ever make me actually cry.”</p><p>“So you just pretended to cry for what? To make him feel bad?” Taeil asks warily.</p><p>“He deserves it.” Donghyuck sniffs, “Screwing me over at the drop of a hat, who does he think he is? Who was the one speaking in broken english our entire first year of middle school to help him adjust? Who talked Taeyong into giving his sorry ass a job? And he throws me under the bus for Johnny? Johnny? Really? I’m over him. I’m never going to talk to him again.”</p><p>“Maybe you’re being a smidge dramatic.” Taeil tries.</p><p>“I’ve never been dramatic a day in my life.”</p><p>“Okay.” Taeil nods once.</p><p>“Anyways, what did you need?” Donghyuck sits on the edge of a bed.</p><p>“You told me to come here so we could talk about our next plan of action? Remember?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Donghyuck exhales heavily through pursed lips, “I’m kind of stuck.” He admits</p><p>“You’re stuck?” Taeil furrows his eyebrows, “Why?”</p><p>“Because I want to crush him,” Donghyuck says determinedly, “I just don’t know how to yet.”</p><p>“Okay,” Taeil drags out, “Then why don’t we revisit this in a few days? Then we can combine any ideas we have.”</p><p>“Sure,” Donghyuck agrees easily, jumping up from his spot on the bed, “Now let’s go get some dinner, I’m starving.”</p><p>--</p><p>“Taeil,” Johnny says desperately, walking up to where Taeil was leaving his cabin “I’m ready to call a truce.”</p><p>Taeil looks at him in shock, “Already?” Johnny nods, “But we had such a good one planned.” He whines.</p><p>“Use it on someone else,” Johnny grabs Taeil’s wrists in each of his hands, “But I can’t get yelled at by Taeyong one more time.”</p><p>Taeil looks at him, confused, “Has Taeyong been yelling at you?”</p><p>“Please don’t act coy,” Johnny groans.</p><p>“I’m not acting coy, I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about.” Taeil insists.</p><p>“Your campers!” Johnny nearly shouts, quieting down when Taeil jumps, “Your campers have been making my life hell. Please call them off, I actually might kill them the next time if you don’t.”</p><p>“What have they been doing?” Taeil questions, baffled.</p><p>“Everything! Anything they can do to get me in trouble, they do.”</p><p>“Okay, well could you get a little descriptive with that?” Taeil asks, starting to get the slightest bit annoyed.</p><p>“Like today, they refused to do the activity I had planned for them.” Johnny explains with a crazed look in his eyes, “They just laid down on the field. I kept telling them to get up, but they refused. Donghyuck’s campers were there too, so I let them throw balls at the boys to encourage their good behavior,” Taeil glares, “Don’t look at me like that, you don’t know what I’ve been through with them.” Johnny nearly knocks Taeil over with the force of his returning glare. “Anyways, they refused to get up. Then somehow they talked Donghyuck’s campers into following along with their little scheme.”</p><p>“So, when does Taeyong get brought into it?” Taeil cuts him off.</p><p>“I’m getting there. So they’re all lying down, and I’m trying to get them to get off the damn floor and do what they’re supposed to, but they won’t. They were resilient to any threat I gave them.” Taeil hums, knowing how true that statement was. “Then Taeyong comes over and asks what the hell they’re all doing on the floor, and you know what Myung says?” Johnny asks, his voice steadily getting louder with every word, “He says I let them lay around! That I told them they could have the day off to rest. And Taeyong believed them! He pulled me to the side and chewed me a new asshole. This is the third time this week.”</p><p>“Oh my god,” Taeil raises a hand to cover his laughter, “They’re horrible.”</p><p>“They’re truly the worst,” Johnny agrees, “Please, make them stop.”</p><p>“I’ll talk to them,” Taeil promises, “But I need something from you in return.”</p><p>“Anything.” Johnny says instantly.</p><p>“I need you to help me with Donghyuck and Mark.”</p><p>“Mark and Donghyuck?” Johnny scrunches up his nose, “What happened with them?”</p><p>“We happened with them,” Taeil motions in between them, “Donghyuck found out Mark was telling you everything and they fought.”</p><p>“Aw man,” Johnny sighs. “That really is on us, huh?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil frowns, “So now we have to fix it.”</p><p>“How are we supposed to do that?” Johnny purses his lips.</p><p>“I don’t know, but we need to figure something out.” Taeil sighs, “They were both pretty upset.”</p><p>They stand there, trying to think of what they can do to fix what their petty argument had ruined. They’re so distracted they don’t notice Jaehyun walking up to them. “What are you two love bugs doing out here?” He calls, laughing when Taeil jumps in surprise.</p><p>“What do you want, Jaehyun?” Taeil eyes him.</p><p>“Aw, Taeil,” He throws an arm around Taeil’s shoulders, ruffling his hair a little in the process, “You know you’ve missed me today.”</p><p>“I really haven’t.” Taeil grumbles, trying to shake out of Jaehyun’s hold.</p><p>“Yes you have,” Jaehyun sings, “It’s okay, I’ve missed you too.” He pulls Taeil into his chest, wrapping his arms around him in a death grip.</p><p>“You’re killing me,” Taeil chokes out, pushing at Jaehyun’s chest “Let me go, Shrek.”</p><p>“I’ve been needing a cuddle,” He tells Taeil.</p><p>“I’m not your cuddle buddy, leave me alone.” Taeil glares up at him.</p><p>“Jaehyun, get off of him.” Johnny tries tugging at his shoulder.</p><p>“No!” Jaehyun shouts, not minding the fact that his mouth is right next to Taeil’s ear, “You constantly monopolize Taeil’s time.” He starts walking Taeil backwards, forcing Taeil to move with him. “He’s mine now.”</p><p>Taeil scowls at Johnny’s resounding protests, wriggling a hand free and jabbing his fingers right under Jaehyun’s ribs, “I am not a toy for you two to argue about.” He scolds them once Jaehyun has moved away from his sharp fingers, “What the hell is wrong with you?”</p><p>“We’re just messing around,” Jaehyun mutters. “You said I had to just cuddle you instead of asking for permission so I did.”</p><p>“I said you could rub my stomach if you needed to, not crush my lungs to make a point.” Taeil glares, but softens his face when Jaehyun pouts cutely, “Next time, just be a little softer. And you both need to work out whatever it is that’s making you argue over stupid shit.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s because Johnny has this huge cr-mph,” Jaehyun glares up at Johnny slaps a hand over his mouth.</p><p>“We can talk about it later, Jaehyun.” Johnny says, pointedly looking over at Taeil.</p><p>“I can leave if you need me too.” Taeil makes to walk down the path.</p><p>“No,” Johnny grabs his arm and tugs him back, “Jaehyun was just leaving anyways. Weren’t you, Jaehyunnie?”</p><p>Jaehyun grumbles, pushing Johnny’s hand away from his face, “Fine, I know when I’m not wanted.” He brushes his clothes off, smiling at Taeil, “When you get bored of dealing with Johnny’s dumb ass, find me and we can gossip about him.” He dodges Johnny’s attempt at hitting him, running away screaming.</p><p>“Are you seriously laughing at that idiot?” Johnny asks when he turns back to see Taeil giggling.</p><p>“It was funny!” Taeil defends.</p><p>“Whatever,” Johnny shakes his head, “I know what we should do with Mark and Donghyuck.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Let’s prank Jaehyun.”</p><p>--</p><p>“That’s all we’re going to do?” Donghyuck scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest, “What is this, amateur hour?”</p><p>“Donghyuck, can you not for once?” Mark rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Don’t tell me what to do, Mark Traitor Lee.”</p><p>“Never call me that again.”</p><p>“I only listen to requests from friends, but thanks for that input.”</p><p>“Okay,” Johnny claps his hands, interrupting their argument, “Yes, that is all we’re going to do because we’re not trying to start another fight, we’re just trying to mess with Jaehyun a little bit.”</p><p>“Would be way funner to start a fight.” Donghyuck mumbles.</p><p>“Anyways,” Taeil shoots him a pointed look, “Donghyuck and Mark, you’ll be the ones in charge of throwing in the febreeze can and Johnny will be holding the door closed.” He smiles up at Johnny. Johnny smiles back, flexing obnoxiously to make Taeil laugh.</p><p>“Then what will you be doing?” Donghyuck asks.</p><p>“Standing there looking pretty to egg Johnny on.” Mark says under his breath. Donghyuck snorts, turning away when Mark looks at him with a small grin.</p><p>“I will be there for moral support,” Taeil shrugs, “There’s not much for me to do except be pretty, Mark.” Mark at least has the decency to look almost ashamed.</p><p>“So, we ready to go?” Johnny smiles at them all.</p><p>“If we must.” Donghyuck sighs, heaving himself out of his chair.</p><p>“Here,” Mark reaches for the bag in Donghyuck’s hand, “I can carry it for you.”</p><p>Taeil elbows Johnny, “It’s working!”</p><p>“I’m not incompetent, I can carry my own bag.” Donghyuck says harshly.</p><p>“Looks like you hit me for no reason.” Johnny tilts his head. Taeil can only sigh in response.</p><p>They walk to Jaehyun's cabin, only two doors down from where they met in Taeil’s cabin. They all press against the side of the cabin, and Mark and Donghyuck fumble with the zip ties for a moment.</p><p>“Mark,” Donghyuck sighs, but Taeil’s pretty sure there was a hint of fondness in it, “We’re not just putting zip ties on a can of febreeze.” He grabs the can from Mark’s hands, “It goes over the trigger, like this,” He tightens the zip tie loosely, “Then we can tighten it all the way right before we throw it in.”</p><p>Mark nods along, “You’re smart.” Donghyuck grins, and Taeil can see a pleased flush to his cheeks.</p><p>“Okay,” Johnny whispers, leading their little group to the door, “On the count of three, one, two, three!” Johnny rips the door open, allowing Donghyuck enough space to throw the can in as Mark tugs on the zip tie to tighten it fully. Johnny closes the door, and they sit in silence for a minute.</p><p>Taeil knows Jaehyun’s in there. His campers are with Jungwoo for the next hour, and Jaehyun is notoriously always napping in his cabin when he has even a second. There’s nothing at first, then they hear a thump and coughing. Johnny tightens his hold on the handle when there’s tugging at the door. “What the fuck!” Jaehyun shouts from inside.</p><p>Donghyuck bursts out laughing, grabbing Mark’s arm for support, “Okay, the prank might be lame but it’s kinda funny.” He concedes.</p><p>Mark smiles widely at him, joining in with his giggling. “Donghyuck? Is that you?” Jaehyun yells, tugging harder at the door.</p><p>“No!” Mark yells back so Donghyuck doesn’t have to.</p><p>“Mark’s out there too? I should have known it was you two little shits.”</p><p> “It’s not them,” Johnny laughs.</p><p>“Johnny? Get me out of this fucking room!”</p><p>Taeil snorts, “That doesn’t sound very fun.”</p><p>“What is this?” Jaehyun calls out, “Some kind of foreplay? I’m going to kick your asses when I get out of here.”</p><p>Donghyuck gasps, trying to suck the air back in his lungs, “Taeil, you were right. This made me feel a lot better.” He swings an arm around Mark, “Let’s go steal some snacks, Markie.”</p><p>Mark grins brightly, giving Johnny a thumbs up as they walk away.</p><p>“Ah,” Taeil sighs leaning against Johnny’s arm, “Kids are so simple.”</p><p>Johnny snorts, wrapping both arms around Taeil’s shoulders, “You think it worked?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil nods, “Donghyuck doesn’t even invite me to steal snacks with him.”</p><p>The door rips open with Jaehyun standing in the doorway, “You’re dead. You are both so dead.”</p><p>“It was for the greater good,” Johnny walks back with both hands in the air, “You would have done the same.”</p><p>Jaehyun throws the still spraying febreeze can as far as he can, “I’m going to shower, and then I’m going to drown both of you in the lake.” He storms off.</p><p>“If you promise to only drown Johnny I’ll help you clean up!” Taeil calls after him.</p><p>“Hey.” Johnny glares at him.</p><p>“Hey.” Taeil smiles, wriggling his eyebrows.</p><p>“You’re ridiculous.” Johnny sighs.</p><p>“Thanks.” Taeil nudges him. “Uh, by the way,” He starts, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m sorry. For, like, yelling at you and stuff. And acting childishly towards you.”</p><p>Johnny smiles softly at him, “It’s okay,” He says, “I’m sorry too. For taking my anger out on you and pranking you back, even when you didn’t deserve it.”</p><p>“I forgive you,” Taeil sighs long-sufferingly.</p><p>“Good.” Johnny nudges him gently, “You wanna go steal some snacks with me?”</p><p>Taeil laughs loudly, tilting his head back, “I would love to.”</p><p>--</p><p>“So,” Jaehyun says, glancing at Taeil from the corner of his eye, “Does this mean you and Johnny are made up?”</p><p>Taeil doesn’t answer for a second, focusing on folding the sheets he had in front of him. He actually had decided to help Jaehyun clean up since he felt kind of bad the only reason they pranked him in the first place was to fix Taeil’s wrong doings. After scrubbing the overwhelming smell of crisp linen out of the floor and wooden bed frames, they had washed everything that was cloth in the room and were now folding it all back up.</p><p>“Yeah,” He finally says, “I would say so.”</p><p>“That’s good.” Jaehyun nods, “It was kind of weird seeing you guys avoid each other.”</p><p>“It was a dumb argument anyways,” Taeil waves a hand.</p><p>“Yeah.” Jaehyun agrees. They’re quiet for a moment until Jaehyun speaks back up, “So when are you guys going to date then?”</p><p>Taeil goes completely silent, staring at Jaehyun in shock. When Jaehyun laughs at him he throws a bundled pair of socks at his head, “I really wish you didn’t talk.” Taeil scowls.</p><p>“Where would the fun in that be?” Jaehyun grins.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it for this chapter! thank you for reading and you can find me on my socials here:</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://twitter.com/lcvietaeil">twitter</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://curiouscat.me/lcvietaeil">cc</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I finally get the nerve to flirt with him more directly, which you told me to do, and now I’m in trouble. Great.” </p><p>Jungwoo grimaces, “That was you flirting?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Jungwoo’s face doesn’t change. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing. I just don’t even know what to say to that. I kind of feel bad for you now.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hiiii! I really have no excuse for this being as late as it is, but we're finally here! If you're still along for the ride, thank you and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey,” Johnny smiles, sliding into place next to Taeil,  “What are you up to?”</p><p>“Shockingly,” Taeil motions to the food in front of them, “What everybody else is doing right now. Getting lunch.”</p><p>“That sounds fun. Mind if I join you?”</p><p>Taeil giggles, “We eat lunch together everyday you oaf, why would now be different?”</p><p>“I guess it’s not,” Johnny hums, “Maybe it’s just different because I’m asking you specifically.” </p><p>A gagging sound distracts the pair and they turn to see Jungwoo making a face.</p><p>“Oh no, don’t worry about me,” he waves them away, “just continue to be as disgusting as possible right in front of the food. Not like you’re scarring me for life or anything.” </p><p>Taeil rolls his eyes, grabbing his plate and walking towards their usual table. Johnny huffs. </p><p>“Thanks man.”</p><p>“How is that my fault? Be weird with Taeil in your own space.”</p><p>“I finally get the nerve to flirt with him more directly, which you told me to do, and now I’m in trouble. Great.” </p><p>Jungwoo grimaces, “That was you flirting?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Jungwoo’s face doesn’t change. “What?”</p><p>“Nothing. I just don’t even know what to say to that. I kind of feel bad for you now.” </p><p>“Go fuck yourself, Jungwoo,” Johnny groans, grabbing his plate and pointedly shoving Donghyuck over so he can sit next to Taeil.</p><p>--</p><p>“The kids are such little shits,” Johnny says to Taeil, both men watching Myung hold his brother under the water. Kyung fights his way up and returns the favor. “Should we do something?” </p><p>Taeil shakes his head, “Kids are more resilient than they seem. And if I go tell them to stop they’re just gonna pull me in.”</p><p>“I bet Johnny would love that,” Jaehyun mutters, leaning into Yuta. They both laugh.</p><p>“Walk away,” Johnny tells them, shoving Jaehyun’s shoulder.</p><p>Jaehyun and Yuta look at each other and giggle, gaining Taeil’s attention and pissing Johnny off even more.</p><p>“You are not my father,” Jaehyun says, “you can’t order me around.”</p><p>“Jaehyun, you should listen to Johnny,” Taeil interrupts, holding up a hand to stop him from speaking, “he’s the only one here who can genuinely stand you.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Jaehyun scoffs, “you’re just grumpy that I’m a successful man and now you’re trying to tear me down.”</p><p>Taeil’s eyebrows furrow, “Successful at what exactly?” </p><p>Johnny steps in front of Taeil before Jaehyun can push him into the lake, “Just go walk it off man.” Jaehyun listens and Taeil smiles innocently at him as he leaves. They’re only alone for a moment before Hyunjin swims up to the dock. </p><p>“Mr. Taeil come here! It’s an emergency!” </p><p>Taeil rushes over, looking around to see if any of the kids are drowning, “What’s wrong? What happened?” He asks frantically.</p><p>Hyunjin looks around before leaning in, “Mr. Johnny totally protected you from Mr. Jaehyun. Jisung told us that guys do that when they’re your boyfriend.” </p><p>“Sweetie, you can’t yell that there’s an emergency if there’s not, I thought something was seriously wrong.” Taeil frowns.</p><p>Hyunjin nods solemnly and Taeil leans in, “But Park Jisung? The fourteen year old? Why was he with you kids?”</p><p>“Mr. Mark told him to watch us in the craft room the other day because he said Jisung wouldn’t stop talking. But I like Jisung, he knows a lot since he’s older.”</p><p>Taeil sighs, knowing he’s going to have to deal with whatever the little brat said, “What does he know?” </p><p>“A lot about romance. He told us that when you like someone you should give them a lot of attention. That’s how we realized you like Mr. Johnny.” </p><p>Taeil stares, not knowing what the correct response was to that. </p><p>“Go back to playing,” he eventually tells Hyunjin. Once the kid does he slumps back onto his heels, not noticing Johnny was there until he bumps into his chest.</p><p>“What did they want?” Johnny asks, steadying Taeil when he whips around too fast and nearly loses his balance.</p><p>“Just to tell me a secret for the game they’re playing,” Taeil breathes, looking up at Johnny.</p><p>“Does the game involve one of them tackling Jaehyun into the lake? Because I think Iseul’s just been pushed to the edge.” Taeil turns to see Iseul out of the water, laughing as he corners Jaehyun to the edge of the bank.</p><p>“Iseul!” Taeil calls, “Knock it off!”</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about Mr. Taeil,” Iseul takes another step forward, “I’m not doing anything wrong!”</p><p>“Iseul, please don’t,” Taeil groans, rubbing his temples.</p><p>“Iseul, if you stop right now you won’t be in trouble.” Johnny tries.</p><p>“You can’t get in trouble for having fun, Mr. Johnny!” Iseul smiles evilly at Jaehyun’s yelling form, “Mr. Taeil told us that.”</p><p>“Having fun does not include harassing a counselor!” Taeil shouts, “Iseul!” He screams as Iseul pretends to jump towards Jaehyun, freaking him out enough that he pitches himself over the edge with the force of his flinch. “God dammit.”</p><p>“Ah shit,” Johnny mutters, jogging over to where Jaehyun resurfaces from the water and reaching a hand in to pull him out.</p><p>“Taeil,” Jaehyun coughs as he walks over to him, “Your children are demons.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil grimaces.</p><p>“And you let them be like that,” Jaehyun glares, “Because you’re a demon too.”</p><p>“I didn’t tell him to do it!”</p><p>“You didn’t stop him.”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s fair,” Taeil snorts at the sight of Jaehyun wringing out the bottom of his shirt. Graciously ignoring the displayed abs right there.</p><p>“I hate you.” Jaehyun turns, walking away.</p><p>“But I thought we were friends now?” Taeil calls after him, laughing when Jaehyun visibly restrains himself from flipping him off.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil,” He turns, seeing Iseul standing behind him, trying to look innocent, “Am I in trouble?”</p><p>“Yes,” Taeil puts his hands on his hips, “You are. Why on earth would you do that?”</p><p>Iseul shrugs, looking down, “He was bothering you. Jisung told us you should protect the people you love, and you’re my favorite counselor. So I thought I should do something.”</p><p>Fucking Jisung. “We do not take action by being violent or mean to anyone. Especially not someone who has done nothing to us.”</p><p>“Mr. Jaehyun would have pushed you in if Mr. Johnny didn’t stop him,” Iseul stands his ground, looking up at Taeil defiantly.</p><p>“And if he had he would have been the one in trouble. But now it’s you.”</p><p>“I was just trying to help,” Iseul mumbles, kicking the dirt beneath his feet.</p><p>“And I really appreciate that,” Taeil melts a little bit, “But you didn’t go about it the right way. There’s no way to get around that.”</p><p>“So are you going to tell Mr. Taeyong,” Iseul pouts up at Taeil.</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes. I’ll have to tell Mr. Taeyong.” Taeil frowns as he delivers the bad news.</p><p>Iseul deflates a bit, before he straightens back up and puffs out his chest, “But you’ll tell him how cool and strong I was, right?”</p><p>“If it’s really that important to you.” Taeil agrees a little helplessly.</p><p>Iseul nods seriously, “It is. Mr. Taeyong is really cool, I want him to think I’m really cool too.”</p><p>“Don’t you think I’m really cool?” Taeil asks, acting cute.</p><p>“Not as cool as Mr. Taeyong,” Iseul shakes his head decisively, “He dyes his hair a different color every summer, Mr. Taeil. That’s cool.”</p><p>Damn kids. “My hair was red last summer.”</p><p>“Mr. Taeyong’s hair is red and white this summer.”</p><p>“Well, why don’t you go back to your friends,” Taeil scrunches his nose up, done with being dragged by a child. Iseul shrugs, turning to run and cannonball back into the lake.</p><p>“If it makes you feel any better,” Johnny says, watching the boys roughhouse with each other, “I think you’re cooler than Taeyong.”</p><p>“It doesn’t,” Taeil sighs, “but mostly because I already knew that.”</p><p>“How would you?” Johnny raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Because I’m the coolest,” Taeil nudges him lightly, “Kids are distracted by colorful things, but you know.”</p><p>“I take it back,” Johnny shakes his head, “Taeyong’s definitely cooler.” He chuckles to himself, walking back down the deck to sit with his things.</p><p>“You take that back Johnny Seo!” Taeil yells after him. He has to stop himself from running and taking Johnny with him straight into water when he just waves him off, doesn’t even turn around.</p><p>Be the example, Taeil, he repeats to himself, you are the adult. Be the example.</p><p>--</p><p>The next day Taeil’s laying on a chair, stretching out in the warm sun rays and resting before he has to go pick up his campers from their arts and crafts activity. He’s totally relaxed, until a big dumb idiot decideds to bother him.</p><p>“Taeil,” Jaehyun nudges his shoulder to get his attention, “Let’s go talk.”</p><p>“Nah,” Taeil shakes his head, staying where he is, “I’m good here.”</p><p>“Oh my God,” Jaehyun huffs, “You watched someone try to drown me yesterday. I deserve this.”</p><p>Taeil heaves himself out of his chair, “What do you want?”</p><p>“Come sit with me,” Jaehyun nudges his chin towards the ledge.</p><p>“Why would you make me get out of my very comfortable chair to go sit on a damn ledge,” Taeil whines, dragging his feet over.</p><p>“Because I wanted to,” Jaehyun mimics him, “Anyways.”</p><p>“Are you going to kill me or something?”</p><p>Jaehyun rolls his eyes, “Not this time. I wanted to talk to you about Iseul.”</p><p>“I already told him I’d have to report the incident to Taeyong, so you don’t have to worry about it, it’s being dealt with.”</p><p>“That’s actually the thing,” Jaehyun sighs, “I don’t think we have to escalate this to the point of bringing Taeyong into it. Johnny told me he was trying to protect you or whatever and that’s pretty cute, so I’m willing to just let it go.” </p><p>Taeil gapes, “What?” </p><p>“God, do you really think I’m that much of an asshole? He’s just a kid who got bad advice from another dumbass kid. Just have him say sorry or something and we can call it even.” </p><p>“Why are you being so nice about this?” </p><p>“Because I’m a good person,” Jaehyun huffs, “and I’m pretty sure Iseul will tell Taeyong he did it because we were arguing and neither of us need to deal with the repercussions of that. It’s not like I was physically hurt, so we’re good.” </p><p>“If you’re sure,” Taeil looks him up and down suspiciously, “I’ll have him write you an apology letter.”</p><p>Mark walks over, throwing an arm around Jaehyun’s shoulders, “What are we talking about over here?”</p><p>Jaehyun jerks his shoulder out from under him, “You asshole, you made some five year old push me into the lake.”</p><p>“Oh Iseul right? Donghyuck told me, how is that my fault?” </p><p>“Because,” Taeil glares, “you left Park Jisung to watch my kids because he was annoying you and he gave them shitty fourteen year old advice and they took it seriously. Literally how did you think that was a good idea?”</p><p>Mark shrugs, “I didn’t know he was going to do anything stupid. Him and Chenle were tailing me so I forced them to go do something else. I left Chenle with Donghyuck’s campers and nothing went wrong there. Maybe it’s just your kids.” </p><p>“Excuse me?” </p><p>“Maybe your kids just have worse behaviors. No one from any other cabin has thrown a counselor into the damn lake.” </p><p>Taeil clenches his jaw, “Maybe you’re an idiot who leaves a child to watch other children and then blames them. Maybe you should get a grip on your own cabin instead of passing judgement on mine. Maybe you’re just irresponsible and have no threshold for dealing with things.” </p><p>Mark gasps, “I left them for like an hour, I had no way of knowing how they would act!” </p><p>“That’s your job, Mark,” Taeil grinds out, stepping closer. Jaehyun holds a hand out to keep him from getting in Mark’s face, “Make sure your campers are in check before you ever say shit about mine again.” </p><p>Johnny must have seen what was going on, because he runs up and grabs Taeil around the waist, dragging him back, “Everything okay over here?”</p><p>“We’re fine,” Jaehyun assures him.</p><p>“Taeil’s being mean to me for no reason!” Mark shouts, offended.</p><p>“It’s not no reason,” Taeil shouts back, “You’re borderline mean to your campers and now you’re being mean to mine!”</p><p>“I’m not mean to my campers,” Mark frowns at him.</p><p>“Yes, you are,” Taeil shakes out of Johnny’s hold, calming himself down so he can talk to Mark effectively. “They like you, for some weird contrived reason, and you treat them like shit and ignore them and complain and they still just want your approval. They’re high school students, Mark. The only thing they want from you is acceptance and instead they’re met with thinly veiled annoyance and disdain.”</p><p>“It’s not like that,” Mark shakes his head.</p><p>“Yes it is. Why do you think they tell you all of those uncomfortable things? Because they want to be able to relate to you in some way,” Taeil scoffs, “and the only thing they know about college students is that they sleep around a lot.”</p><p>“But-” Mark frowns with his whole face.</p><p>“No buts,” Taeil stops him, “That is the truth. If you want to believe it or not is up to you, but I’m not going to stand here and listen to you try and make it something it’s not.”</p><p>“Maybe we should cool down,” Johnny suggests, motioning for Jaehyun to go over to Mark, “You guys can talk about this later.”</p><p>“Come on man,” Jaehyun throws an arm around Mark’s shoulders, leading him away, “I think there’s still some of Doyoung’s ice cream left over that we can steal.”</p><p>Taeil turns to face Johnny, taking in his shocked expression, “Was that too harsh?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Johnny admits, “But he looked really upset.”</p><p>“Shit,” Taeil groans, “I didn’t mean to actually hurt his feelings.”</p><p>“You wanna tell me what exactly happened there?”</p><p>“He said something shitty about my kids,” Taeil rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, “I may have reacted poorly.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Johnny winces, “It was a little rough to watch.”</p><p>“I’ll have to apologize,” Taeil sighs.</p><p>“Later,” Johnny decides with a nod, “He probably needs some time to calm down too.”</p><p>“Was I a complete asshole?”</p><p>“I think it needed to be said,” Johnny shrugs, “Mark doesn’t even realize he’s being a little too mean sometimes.”</p><p>Taeil sighs deeply, “There was probably a better way to say it, though.”</p><p>“Probably,” Johnny agrees, “but it’ll be fine. Mark can’t hold a grudge, so just apologize and that’ll be that.”</p><p>“But I don’t want him to be sad,” Taeil whines, shaking his body, “I don’t want to be the one that made him sad.”</p><p>“Oh,” Johnny coos at him, wrapping him up in a hug, “It’ll be okay. He’s probably trying to reflect more than he is sad.”</p><p>Taeil rests his chin on Johnny's chest so he can look up at him, “You really think so?” He pouts.</p><p>“I do,” Johnny says easily.</p><p>“I’ll apologize at dinner,” Taeil says decisively, “That way it doesn’t sit between us for too long.”</p><p>“That’s probably a good idea,” Johnny nods along. He stares at Taeil for just a second, soaking up the adorable sight of his pouted lips and furrowed eyebrows. “You’re so fucking cute,” He accidentally lets out.</p><p>Taeil turns bright red, shaking his head before stepping out of Johnny’s hold, “Shut up.”</p><p>“Sorry,” Johnny mumbles, looking away in embarrassment.</p><p>Taeil sighs, pushing Johnny lightly, “You’re cute too,” He smiles mischievously, “Not as cute as me, but okay I guess.”</p><p>“You guess?” Johnny scowls in mock outrage.</p><p>“Mhm,” Taeil snorts, twisting around to walk away, “I guess.”</p><p>“That's rude!” Johnny yells at him.</p><p>“It’s just how I feel,” Taeil shrugs, “It’s not my fault!”</p><p>Johnny smiles, “I’ll allow it just this once, since you’ve had a rough day.” </p><p>“I’m so glad,” Taeil hums walking back to his chair, “Wanna lay in the sun with me?”</p><p>“Yeah, for sure,” Johnny agrees, rushing to grab a lounge chair and set it next to Taeil’s. He lays down quickly, looking over at Taeil for direction, “What do we do now?” </p><p>“You just relax.” </p><p>“Relax?”</p><p>“Yes, Johnny, relax. Just lay in the sun for a little, recharge with me.” </p><p>“Okay,” Johnny says shakily, “We’re recharging. Together. In the sun, relaxing.” </p><p>Taeil rolls onto his side, “Oh my God, have you never had a calm moment in your life?” </p><p>“Well I live with Jaehyun, so not really.” </p><p>“Lay down,” Taeil pushes at his chest, “and close your eyes.” Johnny listens. “Now, just think of something calming. Like where you want to be most in the world or something.”</p><p>“Got it,” Johnny murmurs. </p><p>“Where are you thinking of?” Taeil asks, laying back down. </p><p>“Right here,” Johnny tells him earnestly, “I can’t really think of anywhere else I’d rather be.” </p><p>“You’re such a cheese ball,” Taeil snorts.</p><p>Johnny sighs, “I guess I am.” </p><p>Taeil doesn’t say it, too busy focusing on calming down his racing heart, but he can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be either.</p><p>--</p><p>That night Taeil searches out Mark as soon as he gets into the cafeteria for dinner, only to be told by Taeyong that he took his dinner to his room on the basis of having an upset stomach and not wanting to be around the kids in case it was something more serious. Which meant his campers weren’t there either, in case they’d been infected by Mark.</p><p>Taeil doesn’t really buy it, but he eats his dinner with everyone else and decides he’ll just have to catch Mark tomorrow.</p><p>Tomorrow happens, and when Taeil walks into the cafeteria there’s Mark, sat at the usual table and in a conversation with Doyoung and Yuta.</p><p>“Mark,” He says, pulling his sleeve to catch his attention, “Come get food with me.”</p><p>“I already have some, though.”</p><p>“I know, I just don’t want to go alone.”</p><p>Mark shrugs, getting up from the table and walking with Taeil to the counter. “What’s up?”</p><p>“I wanted to say sorry,” Taeil rushes out, “I was so wrong for talking to you like that yesterday, and that's completely on me. What you said was wrong too, but I shouldn’t have reacted like that and gone off on you.”</p><p>“Taeil,” Mark stops him, “It’s okay. I’m already over it.”</p><p>“You are?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Mark smiles at him, “While I sat with Jaehyun and ate Doyoung’s ice cream, I thought about it and realized you were right. My kids have just been trying to be friends with me and I was completely resisting it, without even noticing what a dick I was being.”</p><p>“You weren’t a dick,” Taeil says weakly.</p><p>“I was,” Mark shakes his head, “but I promised them I won’t be anymore.”</p><p>“You did?”</p><p>“I did,” Mark confirms, “Last night, when we were all locked in the cabin for dinner, I apologized for not being as nice as I should have been and asked for their forgiveness and the opportunity to move forward.”</p><p>“And what’d they say?”</p><p>“Well, that they didn’t care about what I was saying,” Mark rolls his eyes and huffs, “but also that they didn’t hate me. And that they were fine with just moving on.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Taeil tells him, “I’m glad you figured that out.”</p><p>“Thanks for yelling at me about it,” Mark says honestly, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice, “I probably wouldn’t have listened otherwise.”</p><p>“You’re welcome,” Taeil spoke cautiously, “but you really shouldn’t let people talk to you like that and then thank them.”</p><p>“It’s not people,” Mark rolls his eyes, “It’s you. I know you only had my best interest in mind, even if you only actually said it because I pissed you off. Which I’m sorry for, by the way.” Mark notes, “I shouldn’t have accused your campers of being horrible demon children when the problem was actually one of my kids, but, you live and you learn I guess.”</p><p>“Right,” Taeil draws out slowly, “So we’re good?”</p><p>“We’re good,” Mark agrees, “As long as you don’t yell at me anymore.”</p><p>“I won’t,” Taeil promises.</p><p>“Cool,” Mark nods, “Can we go back to the table now? I’m starving.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil runs his hand down the back of Mark’s head fondly, “Let’s go eat.”</p><p>They walk to the table together, breaking apart at the last minute when Mark goes back to his spot and Taeil sits in between Johnny and Jungwoo.</p><p>“Everything okay?” Johnny leans in.</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil nods, “Everything’s good.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Johnny nods back, grinning slightly.</p><p>“Can you stop mooning at Taeil for five seconds and pay attention,” Yuta yells over to them, groaning when Donghyuck slams a closed fist on his leg to get him to shut up.</p><p>“You’re such an asshole,” Johnny tells him earnestly.</p><p>“What do you want,” Taeil sighs heavily.</p><p>“We were talking about what’s being included at the fire tonight. They were fighting over s’mores,” Jungwoo offers.</p><p>“I’m all s’mored out for the summer,” Donghyuck confesses, rubbing his stomach with a grimace, “San threw up all night the last time we had them and it kinda ruined it for me.”</p><p>“Think about the kids,” Yuta stresses, “They love making them.”</p><p>“They love the fire,” Jungwoo rolls his eyes.</p><p>“That’s the fun of it.”</p><p>“If they just want to make something over the fire why don’t we just make hot dogs?” Mark asks disinterestedly, “It’s basically the same thing.”</p><p>“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Johnny says thoughtfully.</p><p>“It’s not?” Mark looks up from his food, “I was kind of joking.”</p><p>“But it makes sense,” Jaehyun agrees, “And Doyoung wouldn’t have to make them dinner for a night.”</p><p>“Then let’s do that,” Doyoung nods enthusiastically, “I’m sure they’ll love it.”</p><p>“Is it okay?” They all turn to look at Taeyong.</p><p>Taeyong looks up, spoon hanging from his mouth, “What?”</p><p>“Is it okay if the kids make hot dogs over the fire tonight,” Donghyuck sighs heavily.</p><p>“Sure,” Taeyong shrugs his shoulders, “but every kid under nine needs to be helped by a counselor. Even if it pisses them off.”</p><p>“Deal,” They agree easily.</p><p>-</p><p>“Donghyun I will not tell you again, either Mr. Jungwoo helps you or you don’t get to participate at all.”</p><p>“It’s not fair,” Donghyun stomps his foot, glaring up at Jaehyun with all of his might, “Hendery said he gets to do it all by himself.”</p><p>“Hendery is almost twelve,” Jaehyun tries to explain calmly, “Eleven year olds get to do more things than seven year olds.”</p><p>“This is like communism,” Chenle mutters to Renjun.</p><p>“That’s not what communism is, Chenle,” Mark furrows his eyebrows, “You know that right? It’s important to me that you know that.”</p><p>“God, Mark,” Chenle rolls his eyes, “Obviously I know that. Communism is about, like, who you talk to and stuff.”</p><p>Mark looks at him incredulously, going to correct him before being cut off by Jaehyun, “Can we talk about this later please?”</p><p>“I just won’t eat,” Donghyun crosses his arms defiantly.</p><p>“If that’s what you want that’s your decision,” Jaehyun sighs out, pinching the bridge of his nose, “but you’re not getting food later and I won’t feel bad. Do you understand?”</p><p>“Ugh,” Donghyun stomps his foot harder this time, grabbing Jungwoo’s hand and pulling him to an open seat by the fire, sitting him down and then crawling angrily into his lap.</p><p>“Told you,” Taeyong sing songs from his spot next to Doyoung, “They always get mad.”</p><p>“Why is it okay for them to get help when making s’mores and not hot dogs?” Jaemin tilts his head.</p><p>“Because everyone gets help making s’mores,” Doyoung explains, picking at his nails, “Even you guys get Mark to help with the graham cracker and chocolate at least, but you don’t need help with this. It drives them crazy.”</p><p>“At least they’re entertaining,” Jeno says with a tilt of his head, watching Johnny struggle to convince Minghao to move his stick closer to the fire.</p><p>“They’re devils,” Taeil grimaces as Minghao moves an inch or two further back, grinning innocently up at Johnny.</p><p>“So are you guys,” Doyoung scoffs.</p><p>“I am nothing but an angel everyday and this is how you repay me?” Jaehyun asks, offended.</p><p>“You bother Taeil constantly,” Taeyong looks at him in dismay, “I thought he was going to actually kill you at one point.”</p><p>“Hanging out with you guys is fun,” Jisung muses, “How come we can’t do it more?”</p><p>“Because adults talk about adult things,” Doyoung tells him not unkindly, “Things kids can’t hear about.”</p><p>“We’re not kids!” Renjun protests.</p><p>“You’re fourteen,” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Which means we’re not kids anymore,” Chenle rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Still,” Jaehyun shrugs.</p><p>“What can we not hear about? Sex?” Jeno laughs, “We know about sex!”</p><p>“Alright, that’s enough of that,” Taeyong claps his hands once, “Taeil, go watch your kids make hot dogs. Jaehyun, go make sure all of your kids are sitting down and eating. And please remind them they’re not allowed to walk and eat.”</p><p>They both agree, turning to go to their stations, “Hey, Mr. Taeil,” Minjun grins up at him when he gets to them.</p><p>“Hey, bud,” Taeil ruffles his hair, “Let’s go make some food!” The boys cheer, getting up and running to the fire pit to get their supplies. Taeil chuckles as he follows after them, grabbing a chair before they can fill up and he’s forced to stand.</p><p>“I’m hungry,” Jaehyun whines into his ear.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Taeil leans away from him, “Shouldn’t you be at the table with your kids?”</p><p>“They can eat by themselves, Taeil. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m hungry,” Jaehyun drapes himself across Taeil’s back dramatically.</p><p>“That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t care,” Taeil grunts, trying to shrug Jaehyun off of him.</p><p>“You should care,” Jaehyun pouts, “We’re basically being held hostage here until the kids are done.”</p><p>“We’re not hostages, this is our job,” Taeil side eyes him, unimpressed.</p><p>“They’re not feeding us, Taeil. You tell me what you think that means,” Jaehyun says, alarmingly serious.</p><p>“You literally just have to wait until the kids are all fed,” Taeil squints.</p><p>“That’s too long,” Jaehyun whines again, sitting on Taeil’s lap so he can snuggle up under his chin, “I’m hungry now.”</p><p>“Will you get off me,” Taeil groans, “My legs are going numb.”</p><p>“No,” Jaehyun shakes his head stubbornly, “This is my protest.”</p><p>“Why are you protesting on top of me.”</p><p>“Because,” Jaehyun flails, “This is the only way to get people to pay attention, so I’ll do it.”</p><p>Taeil looks around them, “Literally no one is paying attention.”</p><p>“They will.” Jaehyun sniffs.</p><p>“Johnny,” Taeil shouts as he’s passing by them, “Get your friend off of me.”</p><p>“Jaehyun, what are you doing?”</p><p>“I’m protesting,” Jaehyun wraps his arms around Taeil’s neck so he can’t be pulled off, “So that I can eat next.”</p><p>“If you’re that hungry you can go grab a bag of chips,” Johnny tells him, nudging his arm to get him to move, “Come on, up.”</p><p>“No!” Jaehyun tightens his grip, “You can’t make me.”</p><p>“Jae,” Johnny sighs.</p><p>“Johnny.”</p><p>“Sorry, Taeilie,” Johnny rubs a hand down the back of Taeil’s neck, “Seems like you’re stuck there.”</p><p>Taeil looks up, sighing heavily before putting his hands on Jaehyun’s side and pushing as hard as he can until Jaehyun is forced to let go of him and falls onto the floor, “Go bother someone else now.”</p><p>“Taeil,” Jaehyun gasps, raising a hand to his heart, “How could you do such a thing?”</p><p>“Go away, Jaehyun,” Taeil nudges him with his foot.</p><p>Jaehyun throws himself to the ground, groaning in fake pain, “Johnny, he kicked me!”</p><p>“He did not,” Johnny goes to help him up, “I was literally right there watching you.”</p><p>“He kicked me,” Jaehyun insists, hissing when he stands, “I think he bruised my side. I can’t even breathe!”</p><p>“Then we’ll all be put out of our misery soon,” Taeil mutters.</p><p>Jaehyun narrows his eyes, “Taeil, you’re kind of a bully.”</p><p>Taeil gapes, “Me? You do this shit to get a reaction and then throw a fit when you get it.”</p><p>“When have I ever thrown a fit?”</p><p>“You’re throwing a fit right now.”</p><p>“I am not,” Jaehyun just barely stops himself from stomping his foot.</p><p>“Yeah, you can really tell.” Taeil scoffs.</p><p>“Johnny,” Jaehyun whips towards him, “I’m not throwing a fit. Right?”</p><p>“Uh,” Johnny shifts his eyes between the two of them, “Let’s leave me out of it, hm?”</p><p>“You can tell him, Johnny,” Taeil reassures him, “Tell him he’s a baby.”</p><p>“Oh, now I’m a baby?” Jaehyun takes a step forward, “The only reason Johnny’s not taking my side immediately is because he doesn’t want to hurt your fragile feelings.”</p><p>“Johnny’s not taking my side immediately because he doesn’t want to hear you whine about that too.” Taeil shoots back, standing up from his chair.</p><p>“Can you maybe not speak for me?”</p><p>“I live with Johnny, I think I know him better.”</p><p>“Johnny likes me more.”</p><p>“Ugh!”</p><p>“Why is Jaehyun throwing a fit?” Donghyuck strolls up to them, munching on his bag of chips.</p><p>“I am not-”</p><p>“Ah!” Taeil whips around when he hears the scream, zeroing in on Myung throwing his hot rod to the ground.</p><p>“What happened?” Taeil asks, running over to him. Myung wordlessly points to his upper thigh, clenching his jaw shut so he doesn’t cry. “Oh, my God,” Taeil gasps, looking at the blistering skin, “Tae-” He’s cut off when Johnny comes from behind him and scoops Myung in his arms, taking off in the direction of the first aid tent.</p><p>“What happened, Myung?” Taeil asks again when he catches up to them.</p><p>“I was just trying to put my hot dog in it’s bun,” Myung tells him, letting a few tears fall down his cheeks, “but I accidentally laid the hot part of my stick on my leg.”</p><p>They finally reach the tent and Taeil rushes forward to turn the water in the big sink on, remembering that it shouldn’t be cold and moving the knob to make it lukewarm at the last moment. “Why didn’t you come get me for help?”</p><p>“You were busy with Mr. Jaehyun,” Myung grasps Johnny’s shirt tighter, gasping in pain when his burnt leg is put under the stream, “I didn’t want to bother you.”</p><p>“Honey, you could never bother me.” Taeil tells him desperately.</p><p>“Sorry,” Myung grits out.</p><p>“Don’t be sorry,” Taeil pushes his hair away from his face, “I’m sorry.” They sit there in silence, with Johnny holding Myung over the sink and Myung trying his hardest not to move his leg away. “Okay,” Taeil pulls out the burn kit, “Let’s get this wrapped up.”</p><p>“Is it going to hurt?” Myung looks up at him.</p><p>“I’ll try my hardest not to let it hurt,” Taeil promises, holding out his pinky for Myung to wrap his around. Myung nods after, not letting a peep out while Taeil slathers the burned area in burn cream and wraps it in gauze as loosely as he can and still have it stick. “There, all done,” Taeil looks at Myung, “Did it hurt too bad?”</p><p>“No.” Myung shakes his head.</p><p>The door bursts open with Kyung running into the room, “Myung!” He cries out, climbing onto the counter next to his brother, “Are you okay?”</p><p>“I’m okay,” Myung nods bravely, letting his brother snuggle into his chest, “It only hurt for a second, but Mr. Taeil and Mr. Johnny fixed me already.”</p><p>“Sorry, guys,” Donghyuck says, gasping for air as he walks in, “We were trying to keep him away so you could deal with it but he’s like fucking Houdini or something.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Taeil sighs, “I think the attention is helping him feel better.”</p><p>“Can we go eat?” Kyung asks them, “Does he have to stay here overnight? Can I stay with him?”</p><p>Johnny chuckles softly, “No, he doesn’t have to stay overnight. Do you feel okay walking on your own?” He turns to Myung.</p><p>“I can try,” Myung slides down carefully, wincing slightly when he lands but nodding anyways, “I feel fine.”</p><p>“Why don’t I give you a piggyback ride back, bud?” Donghyuck offers, “That way you don’t have to hang out with these two losers any longer.” He motions to Taeil and Johnny.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil’s not a loser,” Myung chastises him, “Mr. Johnny’s still up for debate.”</p><p>“Okay,” Donghyuck agrees, laughing, “Still. Piggyback ride?”</p><p>“Sure,” Myung smiles excitedly, “Can we go fast?”</p><p>Donghyuck scrunches his nose, “I’ll try.”</p><p>Taeil watches them leave, Kyung telling Donghyuck he’s going to beat him and Myung back to the fire pit, before slumping against the counter, putting his head in his hands. “You okay?” Johnny hesitates before asking.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Taeil scrubs at his eyes, “I’m just a horrible counselor. And person in general, I guess.”</p><p>“Okay,” Johnny pulls his hands away from his face, “Let’s calm down a little.”</p><p>“One of my kids got hurt, Johnny,” Taeil stresses, “I am their counselor and instead of helping them I was fighting like a child with Jaehyun. And now Myungs got a burn across his leg.”</p><p>“You weren’t the only one in charge of watching them, Taeil.” Johnny grabs Taeil’s face and tilts his head so they’re forced to meet each other’s eyes, “All of us are to blame, not just you.”</p><p>“And why was everyone distracted?” Taeil deadpans, “Because Jaehyun and I were distracting them.”</p><p>“I’m not saying you shouldn’t have been paying attention, or that you have no responsibility for this. I’m just saying that it’s not only you who wasn’t doing what they were supposed to.”</p><p>Taeil blows out a breath, “It’s just, it’s kind of my fault. Even if there were other people that should have been paying attention, I’m the one that they’re the most comfortable with and I’m the one that should be helping them. It just sucks that me being an idiot ended up so bad.”</p><p>“There’s a reason those kids love you, Taeil.” Johnny tells him seriously, moving Taeil’s head back and forth in between his hands. “You help them and tease them and make sure they’re able to be just as comfortable here as they would be at home. They love you like you’re a part of their family, and you probably are in a way. Hell, I thought they were going to find a way to kill me and make it look like an accident when we were fighting. One mistake doesn’t take all of that love away.”</p><p>Taeil nods slightly, staring up at Johnny, “Okay.” He agrees, “I’m still going to grovel though.”</p><p>Johnny chuckles, “I figured you would.”</p><p>Taeil takes a step back, “Let’s get back. I want to get past the part where Taeyong yells at me.”</p><p>“If it makes you feel any better, he’s probably already yelled at Jaehyun,” Johnny drawls, holding the door open for Taeil to walk through.</p><p>“Actually, that did make me feel a little better,” Taeil giggles, waiting for Johnny to catch up to him.</p><p>“You and him,” Johnny tsks, shaking his head, “You’re like a cat and mouse.”</p><p>“He starts it,” Taeil points out. He stops, grabbing Johnny by the wrist to stop him from walking as well, “Thank you. I don’t really know how you do it, but you always know what exactly to say to make me feel better.”</p><p>“I’m just trying to help,” Johnny looks away bashfully.</p><p>“I’m serious,” Taeil tugs on his arm to get his attention back on him, “You can calm me down just by being there, and it means a lot to me that you care enough to always be there.”</p><p>“Yeah, of course,” Johnny shoots finger guns at him. Taeil raises an eyebrow and Johnny groans, “Why did I do that?”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Taeil laughs out, “It was cute.” He rocks onto his tip toes, pressing a kiss to Johnny’s cheek, “Thanks.” He whispers, smiling.</p><p>“Of course,” Johnny smiles down at him, running a hand down his neck, “Let’s actually go back now,” He throws an arm around Taeil’s shoulders, pulling him into his side so they can walk together.</p><p>When they get back to the clearing Taeil expects it to be mostly empty, with the mood being ruined after Myung’s accident. Instead, the festivities are clearly still going on. Donghyuck, Jungwoo, and Yuta are still helping some kids make their hot dogs, Mark’s in a little circle with his campers talking, Taeyong and Doyoung are entertaining a group of kids by taking turns twirling them around, and Jaehyun is carrying Myung around on his back, taking him wherever he points to without complaint.</p><p>Taeyong sees them and walks over, face already set in stone. “Here we go,” Taeil whispers to himself. Johnny prubs his back before going to help Jungwoo.</p><p>“Taeil.”</p><p>“Hey, Taeyong,” Taeil winces.</p><p>“You know what I’m going to say, right?” Taeil nods, averting his eyes. “How many times have I told you and Jaehyun to lay off of each other?”</p><p>“Too many,” Taeil mutters.</p><p>“Exactly. No matter what I say to you two, you physically can not act like adults around each other, and what did that lead to today?”</p><p>“Myung getting hurt.”</p><p>“One of our campers getting hurt,” Taeyong agrees, “Their parents send them to us because they trust us to keep them safe for a few weeks. I hope we haven’t lost the trust of Myung and Kyung’s parents because of this careless mistake.”</p><p>“I’ll explain what happened.” Taeil promises.</p><p>“I know you will,” Taeyong eyes him, softening slightly at Taeil looking distraught, “I’m not going to fire you, so you can calm down. Accidents happen, but this accident could have been avoided. I hope you know that.”</p><p>“I do,” Taeil frowns, “I’m really sorry.”</p><p>“You shouldn't be apologizing to me,” Taeyong looks towards Myung.</p><p>Taeil sighs, nodding in agreement. Taeyong goes back to his spot with Doyoung and the kids, and Taeil decides to go grab a drink of water before facing Myung.</p><p>“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Jungwoo asks, grabbing more plates.</p><p>“It wasn’t horrible,” Taeil shrugs, “Felt like shit though.”</p><p>“He’ll be okay.” Jungwoo smiles slightly, “I doubt he’ll let it stop him from doing anything.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil sighs, smiling up at Jungwoo, “Thanks, Woo.”</p><p>“No problem,” Jungwoo waves him off, “You shouldn’t beat yourself up too much. I mean, sure, you definitely should have been paying attention, but we all should have.”</p><p>“I guess,” Taeil glances at where Johnny is starting to clean up.</p><p>“Did something happen there?” Jungwoo asks, following Taeil’s line of sight, “Is that why he came back all giggly?”</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Taeil dismisses him, grabbing his stuff so he can make a run for it.</p><p>“Sure you don’t,”  Jungwoo sing songs, “We can keep pretending if that’s what you want!”</p><p>“Go to hell, Jungwoo!” Taeil yells back, sitting near the fire. He looks up, locking eyes with Myung as he points for Jaehyun to take him to where Taeil’s sitting. Taeil just barely holds back a wince.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil,” Myung starts when they reach him, “Why do you look so sad?”</p><p>“I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention and you gut hurt, Myung,” Taeil stands up to tell him, “I’m really sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry!” Myung laughs, “Mr. Jaehyun said he would carry me around for the rest of the night, isn’t that so cool? Everyone else is so jealous!”</p><p>“Mr. Jaehyun is going to have to put you down eventually, and then what?”</p><p>“I’ll be like a backpack forever,” Myung tightens his arms around Jaehyun, “He won’t even notice I’m there at some point because he’ll be used to it!”</p><p>“He’s probably right,” Jaehyun agrees. </p><p>“Okay,” Taeil grins a little helplessly up at them, “If you say not to be sad I won’t be.”</p><p>“Good,” Myung nods seriously, “I told you whatever I say goes,” He mumbles, pinching the back of Jaehyun’s neck.</p><p>Jaehyun cringes away from him, “You were right. I’m sorry for ever doubting you.”</p><p>“As you should be,” Myung huffs, still smiling, “Now back to the fire! I want to turn down Hyunjin when he asks for a turn one last time.”</p><p>Jaehyun rolls his eyes, turning immediately and walking in that direction. “I’m not doing this so you can hold it over the other kids’ heads,” Taeil can hear Jaehyun saying even as they get farther from him, “You should be a little nicer.”</p><p>“Being nice is for the kids you didn’t burn, Mr. Jaehyun,” Myung lays his head on Jaehyun’s shoulder so he can talk to him better, “I, unfortunately, don’t fit into that group anymore.” Taeil snorts, taking another sip of his Coke.</p><p>“You feeling better?” Yuta asks, taking the seat in front of Taeil.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Taeil nods, “The kids will definitely not let this go anytime soon, but they’ll stop tormenting me eventually.”</p><p>Yuta grimaces, “I definitely do not envy you with that group of kids.”</p><p>“They’re a little horrible,” Taeil agrees, “but they’re the best, too.”</p><p>“I wish I didn’t get it,” Yuta bemoans, “but I do.”</p><p>Taeil laughs, turning to grin at Johnny in greeting when he sits down next to him, “What are you guys talking about?”</p><p>“How we love and hate our kids at the same time.”</p><p>“Ah,” Johnny nods sagely, “Don’t we all?”</p><p>--</p><p>“What’s going on between you and Johnny?” Yuta demands, slamming the door to Taeil’s cabin open.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Taeil says, playing on his phone.</p><p>“Of course you don’t,” Yuta scoffs, sitting on the edge of the bed.</p><p>“I really don’t.”</p><p>“Why does he come to your rescue at every moment? Why are you being so giggly around him? What are you not telling me?”</p><p>“There’s nothing to tell,” Taeil throws his phone to the side, finally giving him his full attention, “Why would there be anything to tell?”</p><p>“You cannot be serious,” Yuta side eyes him.</p><p>“Well I am,” Taeil throws his hands up petulantly, turning his phone over to check the screen before flipping it back to face down again.</p><p>“What were you doing on your phone?” Yuta narrows his eyes.</p><p>“I was playing a game.” Taeil answers quickly. Maybe a little too quickly.</p><p>“Which game?”</p><p>“Subway surfer.”</p><p>“How long were you playing it?”</p><p>“I just opened the app.”</p><p>“Why are you still playing a game from a decade ago?”</p><p>“Because I like it.”</p><p>They stare at each other, Yuta not being satisfied that his rapid fire questions didn’t trip Taeil up at all. “Let me see it.”</p><p>“No,” Taeil denies him.</p><p>Yuta pushes his tongue into his cheek, darting his hand forward to grab Taeil’s phone, reaching it just before Taeil does. “Ha!” He shouts, “Let’s see what you were actually doing.”</p><p>“Yuta, knock it off,” Taeil grunts, pushing himself onto his knees and grabbing at the hand Yuta’s holding his phone with.</p><p>“I thought you weren’t hiding anything,” Yuta taunts him, lowering the phone to the ground and typing in the passcode, holding Taeil back as best he can with only one arm.</p><p>“How do you even know my passcode?” Taeil grunts, fully laying on Yuta’s back to grapple for the phone.</p><p>“It’s your birthday, because you’d never be able to remember it if it wasn’t,” Yuta shoves him off, ignoring Taeil’s groan of pain when he rolls off the bed and onto the floor.</p><p>“I hate that you know that.” Taeil tells him.</p><p>“I know,” Yuta says, finally being able to unlock the phone without typing in the wrong numbers because of Taeil’s wiggling, “Oh my god.”</p><p>“Don’t be dramatic.” Taeil chastises him.</p><p>“You’ve been texting Johnny?” Yuta flips the phone to show Taeil the screen, like he doesn’t already know what’s on it.</p><p>“What?” Taeil asks defensively at Yuta’s judging look, “We’re friends!”</p><p>“Mark and I are friends, Jungwoo and I are friends, Jesus, I’m even friends with Johnny. We don’t do shit like this.”</p><p>“Will you stop saying that like it’s something wrong?” Taeil huffs.</p><p>“Taeil, you’re texting each other throughout the day about what you’re doing when you're apart for ten minutes.”</p><p>“What's wrong with that?” Taeil asks defensively.</p><p>“It’s what married people do!” Yuta cries out, “Are you two married?”</p><p>“Of course not,” Taeil scowls, “Are we not allowed to be friends?”</p><p>“This is not what friends do,” Yuta scoffs, “What, do you just casually make out too?”</p><p>Taeil says nothing, averting his eyes and blushing. Yuta gapes, “You’re joking.”</p><p>“Of course we don’t,” Taeil glares, scrubbing at his cheeks, “What’s wrong with you?”</p><p>“Me? What about you?” Yuta scoffs, “Here you are, holed up in your room texting Johnny as if he’s not two cabins away.”</p><p>“You and I both know he’s not two cabins away.”</p><p>“So not the point!” Yuta shouts, “You say there’s nothing going on and then do this shit? Seems sus.”</p><p>“There’s nothing sus about it,” Taeil glares, ripping his phone out of Yuta’s hands, “It’s just how we communicate.”</p><p>“Right,” Yuta snorts, “It’s totally normal.”</p><p>“It is, thank you,” Taeil sniffs.</p><p>“Except it isn’t,” Yuta purses his lips, “Or you wouldn’t be hiding it.”</p><p>“You’re annoying,” Taeil whines, kicking at him, “Get out of my room.”</p><p>“No,” Yuta laughs, grappling with Taeil’s legs, “Admit there’s something you’re not telling me.”</p><p>“Then you would just force me to tell you.” Taeil deadpans, “And there’s nothing to tell.”</p><p>“This is so unfair,” Yuta pouts.</p><p>“It’s actually not.” Taeil rolls his eyes, turning to face the door when it opens.</p><p>“Oh, hey,” Jaehyun smiles awkwardly at them, “Taeil, Johnny wanted to make sure you were alive? Apparently you haven’t responded in a while.”</p><p>“I’m fine,” Taeil sighs, “I’ve just been busy being harassed.”</p><p>“Cool,” Jaehyun nods, “I’ll let him know.”</p><p>Yuta turns to Taeil with a smug expression as soon as the door closes, “Really?”</p><p>“Go away,” Taeil groans, flopping back on his bed and pulling the blankets over his face.</p><p>“After you tell me what’s going on.”</p><p>“Nothing is going on,” Taeil says firmly, smiling to himself when his foot finally connects with Yuta’s side.</p><p>Yuta grunts, “Why do I not believe that?”</p><p>“Because you’re an idiot.”</p><p>“If you’re really that far in denial then I’ll leave you alone,” Yuta lays back on the bed, getting himself comfortable, “But I’m still going to nap here.”</p><p>“Fine,” Taeil sighs, snuggling further into Yuta’s chest, “Stay if you must.”</p><p>Yuta hums, laying an arm around Taeil’s waist and pulling him closer.</p><p>--</p><p>“So,” Johnny starts, keeping his eyes on the kids running around, “Why was Jaehyun telling me you were too busy being harassed to respond the other day?”</p><p>“I told him to tell you that as a joke,” Taeil closes his eyes briefly.</p><p>“Yikes,” Johnny snorts, “So, what was going on?”</p><p>“Just Yuta.”</p><p>“Ah,” Johnny nods in understanding, “Yuta.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“What’d he want?”</p><p>“To drive me crazy,” Taeil sighs, “And to nap together, I guess.”</p><p>“Why don’t we ever nap together?” Johnny tilts his head. Taeil looks at him, surprised, until he takes in the teasing smile spread across Johnny’s face.</p><p>“Why do you never come nap with me?” He quips back.</p><p>“Am I even allowed?” Johnny asks, raising his eyebrows.</p><p>Taeil chuckles, pinching Johnny’s waist between his fingers, “Of course you are. We’re friends, aren’t we?” He cocks his head to the side.</p><p>Johnny smiles, turning to face the floor before looking back up, “Are we?”</p><p>Taeil looks at him in confusion, “Do you not think so?”</p><p>Johnny shrugs at him, looking away and shaking out his hair, “I’m just messing with you.” He nudges their shoulders against each other, “Of course we are.”</p><p>“Then come nap with me sometime,” Taeil wiggles his fingertips under Johnny’s ribs, “Don’t be a stranger.”</p><p>Johnny laughs, twisting out of Taeil’s reach, “Sometimes I wonder if you even listen to yourself.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Taeil asks, unsure if he’s meant to be offended or not.</p><p>“It means if you wanted to get me in your bed that quickly you should have just asked,” Johnny quirks an eyebrow, winking, “It wouldn’t take that much, promise.”</p><p>Taeil splutters, blushing bright red, “You were the one to say something about us napping together in the first place!”</p><p>“Ah,” Johnny agrees, nodding his head, “I guess I was the one trying to get you in bed.”</p><p>“What?” Taeil gapes.</p><p>“Mr. Johnny! The ball is stuck in the tree again!”</p><p>Johnny looks over, waving at Byeongkwan in acknowledgment. “Duty calls,” Johnny sighs, grinning cheekily as he pats Taeils thigh, using it to push himself up off the ground.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil,” Minjun taps his shoulder.</p><p>Taeil jumps, “Minjun! What’s up little man?”</p><p>“I need to go to the bathroom,” Minjun tells him. He squints, looking at Johnny climbing the tree and then back at Taeil, “What does it mean to get someone in your bed?”</p><p>Taeil gasps, springing to his feet, “You need the bathroom? Alright, let’s go.”</p><p>“Mr. Taeil,” Minjun tries pushing back against Taeil’s hands, shoving him forward, “I’m not a baby, I don’t need you to come with me.”</p><p>“Oh” Taeil halts in his steps, removing his hands from Minjun’s shoulders and wiping them down his shirt, “Right, sorry. Go on then.”</p><p>Minjun gives him a funny look, “I thought Mr. Johnny was the weird one,” Taeil can hear him muttering under his breath as he walks away.</p><p>Taeil flopped back down in his spot, pressing the back of his hand to a flushed cheek. He could definitely pin all the blame for this one on Johnny. It was almost a trade off for having to deal with a kid overhearing them in the first place. </p><p>--</p><p>“He said what?”</p><p>“I know! What do I even do with that?”</p><p>“Well what’d you say?”</p><p>“I didn’t say anything. One of the kids interrupted us.”</p><p>“God damn kids,” Taeil hums in agreement, “So what are you going to do now?”</p><p>“What am I meant to do, Sicheng?” Taeil sighs, sinking further into his bed, “I don’t even know if he was being serious or not.”</p><p>“How is that not being serious?” Sicheng scoffs, “He basically invited you to fuck.”</p><p>“In a joking way,” Taeil groans, “When has Johnny ever been serious?” It’s been three days since Johnny made the bedding comment, and Taeil still can’t look him in the eye without turning bright red.</p><p>“Taeil, that was not a fucking joke,” Sicheng gasps, “There is no way that was a joke.”</p><p>“You think?” Taeil asks, biting his finger nail.</p><p>“Who jokes like that with their friends?”</p><p>“If anyone did it would be Johnny,” Taeil points out.</p><p>“Okay, that’s fair,” Sicheng concedes, “However, I don’t think that’s what it was.”</p><p>Taeil sighs, thinking for a moment, “Then what do you think I should do?”</p><p>“What do I think you should do?” Sicheng nearly shouts into the phone, “Tell the man ho-”</p><p>“Mr. Taeil!” Hyunjin sings as he bursts through the door, “We’re back!”</p><p>Taeil groans, rubbing at an eye, “I gotta go, Sicheng.”</p><p>“Ugh, of course you do,” Sichenge sighs, sounding annoyed, “But make sure you-”</p><p>Taeil hangs up, throwing his phone to the side and rolling over, “Did you guys have fun?”</p><p>“We had lots of fun,” Iseul nods, sitting on the edge of Taeil’s bed, “You’re in trouble.” He says, eyes wide and serious.</p><p>“What did I do?”</p><p>“Mr. Taeyong said you were supposed to send him a paper? And that you didn’t and now you’re in big trouble.” Jihun tells him.</p><p>Taeil swears under his breath, swinging himself up into a sitting position and reaching under his bed for his laptop, “Did he say anything else about it?”</p><p>“Just to tell you to do it,” Myung laughs at his frantic stabbing at the keys to get the laptop on,<br/>
“And that if you didn’t he would come by to make you.”</p><p>“Alright, I’ll do it right now,” Taeil mumbles, typing the URL in quickly. The boys sprawl out around the room, grabbing electronics or just getting ready to nap. Taeil can’t blame them, if he’d been taken on an hour and a half hike with Yuta and Taeyong he would’ve had to nap after too.</p><p>“Mr. Taeil?” Hyunjin starts innocently, turning in his bed to look at him and continuing once Taeil hums in response, “Are you and Mr. Johnny dating now?”</p><p>Taeil stops what he’s doing, staring blankly at Hyunjin for a moment, “Why are you asking that?”</p><p>“It’s just that we thought you knew about his cru-” Daehwi, standing to Hyunjin’s right, steps on his foot, effectively shutting Hyunjin up.</p><p>“Thought I knew about what?” Taeil squints at them.</p><p>“Nothing,” Daehwi smiles easily, ignoring Hyunjin’s whimpers of pain, “We just thought you might be since you’ve been spending so much time together lately.”</p><p>Taeil appraises them suspiciously, “We’ve been spending the same amount of time together as always.”</p><p>“You eat lunch together everyday,” Iseul points out.</p><p>“All of the counselors eat at the same table.”</p><p>“He walks you to and from dropping us off at our activities,” Kyung deadpans.</p><p>“I fell and twisted my ankle last week and instead of getting help you all laughed and then left.”</p><p>“Daehwi went and got Mr. Johnny,” Hyunjin grumbles.</p><p>“After twenty minutes,” Taeil glares, “Which is why he walks with me now.”</p><p>“We’re just saying,” Myung shrugs, clamoring up to sit next to Taeil on his bed, “You and Mr. Johnny are dating and you don’t even realize.”</p><p>“We are not dating,” Taeil huffs, “Mr. Johnny doesn’t like me in that way.”</p><p>“He doesn’t?” Iseul screws up his face.</p><p>“No,” Taeil says firmly, “He does not.”</p><p>Daehwi groans, flopping dramatically onto his own bed, “Whatever. I’m exhausted and it doesn’t even have anything to do with me.”</p><p>Taeil ignores him and turns back to his work.</p><p>--</p><p>Taeil doesn’t know how to feel about what the boys said. Sure, after Taeil and Johnny made up they made more of an effort to hang out with each other before the end of the summer came, and they’d gotten even closer than they were before, but that didn’t mean they were dating, they were just making up for lost time.</p><p>“It’s weird that they thought that, right?” Taeil asks.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Donghyuck hums, “You two have been lingering around each other more.”</p><p>“He’s been helping me because my kids like to torment me.”</p><p>“And someone who’s just a friend would just laugh along,” Donghyuck says slowly.</p><p>“He’s kind of right,” Mark joins in, “He always kind of followed you around, but it’s more than usual.” Taeil huffs, not liking the answers they were giving him, “Apple slice?” Mark holds out his plateful of them.</p><p>Taeil grabs one, biting into it harshly, “He’s just being a good friend. Why does it have to be this big thing?”</p><p>“To be fair,” Mark starts, glaring at Donghyuck when he tries taking one of his apple slices, “My campers also enjoy tormenting me and whenever I complain you either laugh or tell me to get over it.”</p><p>“That’s because your campers don’t torment you.” Taeil sighs.</p><p>“What would you call a group of fourteen year olds detailing every thought they have about their crushes and your other campers.” Mark hisses, schooling his expression at Taeil’s shocked look, “Sorry, it can get overwhelming.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Taeil breathes out, “I can kinda tell.”</p><p>“I thought you were over that,” Donghyuck eyes him.</p><p>“I am,” Mark shrugs, “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t still give me the heebie jeebies.”</p><p>“Sure.” Donghyuck nods once.</p><p>“Anyways,” Mark shakes out his hair, handing Taeil another apple slice and moving the plate out of Donghyuck’s reach before he can grab one, “Donghyuck’s right, if he was just being a friend, he would laugh along with the rest of us.”</p><p>“Well you’re all assholes anyways, so maybe it’s a testament to your own ethics.” Taeil pouts.</p><p>“You fit right in,” Donghyuck mentions, holding Mark down by the neck so he can finally reach out and grab a piece of apple, “So maybe that says something about your ethics too.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Taeil rubs his temples, “Johnny and I aren’t dating, end of story.”</p><p>“Why are you being so weird about this?” Donghyuck asks, dodging Mark’s attempts at trying to rip the slice from Donghyuck’s hand.</p><p>“Because, it’s weird”</p><p>“Do you not like him?” Mark presses, grinning in triumph when he manages to get less than an inch of his slice of apple back.</p><p>“It’s not that,” Taeil says, “It’s just, I don’t even really know how we would work.”</p><p>“What does that even mean?” Donghyuck laughs after he eats the piece of apple straight out of Mark’s hand.</p><p>“We don’t live near each other,” Taeil shrugs, “How would that pan out?”</p><p>“Is he joking?” Mark pauses his assault to ask Donghyuck.</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Donghyuck shakes his head, “Are you joking?” He asks Taeil.</p><p>“Obviously not.” Taeil rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Taeil,” Donghyuck heaves a great sigh, “You and Johnny go to the same college.”</p><p>“What?” Taeil scrunches up his nose, “No we don’t.”</p><p>“Yes, you do.” Donghyuck groans, “Have you always been this oblivious?”</p><p>“I think I would know if we were going to the same school, Donghyuck.” Taeil scoffs.</p><p>“Okay,” Donghyuck relents, “You don’t go to the exact same school, but you live in a college town. His school is literally a twenty minute drive from yours.”</p><p>Taeil pauses, “Why did I not know that?”</p><p>“Because you don’t pay attention to the conversations around you unless it directly impacts you, and sometimes not even then,” Mark offers.</p><p>“I do not,” Taeil says, offended.</p><p>“You do,” Donghyuck grimaces in sympathy, “It’s one of your few flaws.”</p><p>“This is an outrage.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it, it makes you cuter.” Mark says, mouth full of chewed up apple.</p><p>“Thanks,” Taeil furrows his eyebrows, “Doesn’t really help, but thanks.”</p><p>“So, do you?” Donghyuck nudges him.</p><p>“Do I what?” Taeil asks, confused by the sudden question.</p><p>“Like Johnny?”</p><p>“Yeah?” Taeil answers, exasperated.</p><p>“No,” Mark flaps his hands, “Like, do you like him?”</p><p>“I just said yes.” Taeil rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Donghyuck gapes, “You’re telling us just like that?”</p><p>“Why would I lie?” Taeil questions.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Donghyuck looks at Mark for support, rolling his eyes when Mark’s still choking in shock, “I just thought you’d be in denial for a little longer.”</p><p>“I’m not a teenager.”</p><p>“You just said it was weird for the kids to say you’re dating,” Mark coughs out.</p><p>“Yeah, because we’re not. And I don’t want to make Johnny uncomfortable,” Taeil shrugs.</p><p>“He’s so dumb,” Donghyuck shakes his head, “Talk to Johnny about it.”</p><p>“I probably won’t,” Taeil admits, “But thank you for the advice anyways.”</p><p>“Please,” Donghyuck clutches at the bottom of Taeil’s shirt when he stands, “Please don’t drag this out anymore. I’m exhausted.”</p><p>“Then get some rest tonight, Hyuckie. I’ll talk to you guys later,” Taeil turns, walking away from Mark still coughing a lung out and Donghyuck swearing at him under his breath.</p><p>There’s no reason to bring it up to Johnny. He’ll get over it later.</p><p>--</p><p>Taeil’s best quality was that he could look himself in the eye and tell himself he was making a horrible decision. This was not one of them.</p><p>He liked Johnny, obviously, but that didn’t mean that Johnny liked him back. Or that even if he did, he would want to be together at the end of the summer. And why would he put their friendship on the line for that?</p><p>Taeil was okay with never toeing that line.</p><p>Apparently, none of his friends were okay with him never toeing that line.</p><p>“So,” Jaehyun grins at Taeil, stealing the seat next to him. “Doghyuck asked me for a favor this morning.”</p><p>Taeil ignores him, finishing off the text he was typing out and sending it before turning to him, “Whatever he told you is obviously a lie.”</p><p>Jaehyun snorts, “Obviously,” He concedes, stealing one of Taeil’s carrots and popping it into his mouth before Taeil can grab it back, “But I’ve been hearing the same thing.”</p><p>Taeil jolts in his seat, “Did Sicheng call you?”</p><p>“What? Of course not, I don’t think Sicheng even has my number,” Jaehyun says, pouting when Taeil swats his hand away before he can grab another piece of carrot. “What does he have to do with anything? I’m talking about the gossip.”</p><p>“What gossip?”</p><p>“About your crush on Johnny,” Jaehyun ignores Taeil choking on his water, plucking the water bottle from his hand and chugging down most of it. “Thanks, I was really thirsty.”</p><p>“You’ve been hearing what?”</p><p>“About your big gay crush,” Jaehyun shrugs, narrowly dodging Taeil trying to cover his mouth, “Was I not supposed to know?”</p><p>“Why would I ever want you to know that?” Taeil cries, hiding his face in his hands.</p><p>“Um, because we’re best friends?” Jaehyun rears back, slightly offended.</p><p>“Jaehyun, we both know we aren’t,” Taeil speaks through his fingers, “Please don’t tell Johnny.”</p><p>Jaehyun raises a hand to his chest, “I didn’t know if it was even true, but you just confirmed it,” He frowns, “I didn’t know we weren’t,” he frowns harder, “Why can’t I tell Johnny?”</p><p>“Because I don’t want him to know? Are you stupid?”</p><p>“Stupidly attractive,” Jaehyun wriggles his eyebrows.</p><p>“Jaehyun,” Taeil sighs.</p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry,” Jaehyun laughs, “But seriously, why wouldn’t you want to tell him?”</p><p>“We’re friends, Jaehyun. I’m not going to ruin that because of a crush.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t be ruining anything though. Actually-” </p><p>Taeil stops him by covering his mouth with a hand, “Actually nothing. Forget you heard anything in the first place.”</p><p>“Taeil, you should listen to me just this once.” Jaehyun scowls, removing Taeil’s hand from his face.</p><p>Taeil just shakes his head, going back to his food as everyone else starts showing up and sitting at the table. Johnny stops by Jaehyun, kicking at his foot lightly, “Move.”</p><p>Jaehyun looks up at him, laughing, “No.”</p><p>“Dude, you totally stole my spot,” Johnny whines, “Give it back.”</p><p>Jaehyun cackles, turning to everyone else getting settled at the table, “Do we have assigned seats?”</p><p>“Nope,” Yuta responds, chewing with a cheeky grin on his face.</p><p>Johnny whines, stomping his foot, “Taeil, tell him to move.”</p><p>“Just come sit over here,” Taeil says, patting the bench on his other side.</p><p>Donghyuck slides into the spot right before Johnny can, “Sorry dude, you snooze you lose.”</p><p>“Taeil, they’re bullying me!” </p><p>“Jaehyun move.” </p><p>“What? Why do I have to move?” </p><p>“Because,” Taeil starts shoving him, “you annoyed me earlier.” </p><p>Jaehyun gapes, “This is discrimination!”</p><p>“Dude, you should’ve known better than to get in between Johnny and Taeil,” Jungwoo tells him, pointing a carrot between the three men, “just accept defeat and move.” </p><p>“No,” Jaehyun grunts, shoving back against Taeil, “I was here first. Make Donghyuck move.”</p><p>“I’m the favorite, don’t even act like you don’t know that.” Donghyuck snaps, reaching around Taeil to point a finger in Jaehyun’s face. Jaehyun goes to grab Donghyuck’s finger, but miscalculates his move and falls backwards. </p><p>There’s a deep thunk when his back meets the hardwood, and the table quiets down, everyone peering over to see if he was okay.</p><p>“Damn bro,” Johnny hisses, stepping over Jaehyun to sit down, “you good?” </p><p>“Fuck you, Johnny,” Jaehyun groans, rolling over, “I’m going to shit in your bed tonight.” Taeil snorts, flinching when Jaehyun slaps the back of his head. “I’d watch it, Taeil. When I get upset I get loose lips.”</p><p>Taeil follows him with his glare, not letting up until Jaehyun’s settled in a new seat and locks eyes with him. “I’d watch it if I were you too, Jaehyun. Ask Johnny, I have some kids that love harassing assholes in my name.” Jaehyun makes a face back at him, waving Jungwoo off when he asks what’s gotten into them.</p><p>“They’re just being as weird as they usually are, Woo,” Donghyuck smiles at him beautifically, “You know Taeil and Jaehyun. Always going at it about something.”</p><p>“I thought they were growing up a little bit,” Yuta mutters, “Guess not.”</p><p>Jaehyun opens his mouth to snark back, “So!” Mark cuts him off before he can, “What time is the bonfire tomorrow night?”</p><p>“The same time it always is,” Johnny looks at him weirdly, “Why would it change?”</p><p>Mark laughs like Johnny just told the funniest joke in the world, “Right, J-man.”</p><p>“What did he just call me?” Johnny turns to Taeil.</p><p>Taeil shrugs, eyeing the way Donghyuck hits Mark to get him to shut up, “Kids, ya know?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>“Okay,” Jungwoo butts in, “Is it a full moon and I just forgot or something? Why are all of you being so weird?”</p><p>“Who’s weird?” Mark laughs in that nasally high pitched way he does when he’s nervous. Donghyuck elbows him in the side.</p><p>“Mark was just asking a question,” Donghyuck steps in, “How is that weird?”</p><p>“Because we’ve been having fires at the same time since he started working here,” Jungwoo cocks his head to the side, looking Donghyuck up and down, “What are you hiding.”</p><p>Mark bursts out into laughter, “What are you hiding?”</p><p>“I’m not hiding anything. But the constant panicked laughter is evidence enough that you two are.” Jungwoo stares them down.</p><p>“Leave the kids alone, Jungwoo,” Taeil chastises him lightly, “Let them have their little secrets in peace.”</p><p>Jungwoo hums, looking Taeil up and down briefly, “You’re in on it, aren’t you?”</p><p>Taeil sputters, shaking his head. “I am too!” Jaehyun shouts, waving his arm around. Taeil sighs, putting his head down when Johnny turns to look at him.</p><p>“You’re keeping a secret with Jaehyun?” Johnny asks incredulously.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t he keep a secret with me?” Jaehyun turns his nose up at him.</p><p>“He doesn’t really like you?” Yuta offers.</p><p>“We’re best friends,” Jaehyun informs them, “Why does no one know that?”</p><p>“Because it’s not true,” Johnny snorts, “What are you hiding?” He asks Taeil.</p><p>“I’m not hiding anything,” Taeil puts his hands up in defense.</p><p>“That’s exactly what someone who’s hiding something would say,” Jaehyun winks at him.</p><p>“Jaehyun,” Taeil hisses, glowering with all his might, “Shut. Up.” Johnny looks in between the two of them with narrowed eyes, trying to figure out what was happening. Taeil smiles nervously, averting his eyes.</p><p>The rest of the table eventually moves on, talking about what they had to do for the day and how the end of the camp was always so busy and crammed full of crazy kids trying to make the most of the last bit of time they have with their friends that they only get to see once a year. Taeil mostly stays silent, choosing instead to listen to his friends bemoan their current lives until lunch is over and they’re all sent back to whatever they had going on before. Taeil stands up, thankful to escape the situation, and gets ready to bolt; only to turn directly into Jaehyun, Mark, and Donghyuck. Taeil glares at each of them in turn, asking why they were blocking him in after their stunts.</p><p>“What’s the plan?” Mark asks, eyes wide and full of excitement.</p><p>“Plan for what?”</p><p>“To tell Johnny how you feel!”</p><p>“There is no plan,” Taeil says pointedly, “And if there was, I wouldn’t tell you until it was over.”</p><p>“What?” Mark pouts, slumping down as far as he can, “Why not?”</p><p>“Because you just nervously laughed anytime Johnny even looked in your general direction!” Taeil barely stops himself from shouting.</p><p>“I’m not good at keeping secrets! Everyone knows this!” Mark cries.</p><p>“Then why would you ask me to tell you another secret?”</p><p>“Hold on a minute,” Jaehyun stops Mark from responding, slapping a hand to his chest, “He’s right.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Taeil harrumphs, crossing his arms.</p><p>“Not you. Mark.”</p><p>“What?” Taeil stares in shock.</p><p>“Everyone knows he’s horrible at keeping secrets,” Jaehyun  narrows his eyes, “So why would you tell him one of yours?”</p><p>Taeil sputters, “They weaseled it out of me!”</p><p>“No we didn’t,” Donghyuck gasps, jaw dropped open in a scandalized smile, “You just willingly told us.”</p><p>“And why would you tell Mark, of all people-”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“If you didn’t at least kind of want that secret to get out?” Jaehyun finishes, smiling smugly at Taeil’s face rapidly turning red.</p><p>“You’re an idiot,” Taeil snaps, pushing in between Donghyuck and Jaehyun and storming out.</p><p>“An idiot who has you figured out, babe!” Jaehyun calls after him.</p><p>“He is such a little sneak!” Donghyuck laughs.</p><p>“Come on,” Jaehyun grabs Mark and Donghyuck each by an arm, tugging them along with him, “We have work to do.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>as always, you can find me here :)</p><p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Taeil had been acting weird ever since Johnny’s random bout of courage that lead to him flirting like a frat boy.</p>
<p>Which he knew was a bad idea. And then did it anyway.</p>
<p>So, Johnny was just trying to get by, and he was doing a damn good job of it.</p>
<p>Which, of course, is when Jaehyun comes to him with a saccharine sweet smile and a proposition.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the final part!! I hope y'all enjoy this one &lt;33</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny’s just trying to make it through the week.</p>
<p>The kids were steadily getting more and more amped up the closer they got to the end of camp, Taeyong was always lingering around after Jongin nearly broke his arm after falling out of a tree, and Taeil had been acting weird ever since Johnny’s random bout of courage that lead to him flirting like a frat boy.</p>
<p>Which he knew was a bad idea. And then did it anyway.</p>
<p>So Johnny was just trying to get by, and he was doing a damn good job of it.</p>
<p>Which, of course, is when Jaehyun comes to him with a saccharine sweet smile and a proposition.</p>
<p>“If you finally confess to Taeil,” He tells him, “You can have the master bedroom when we get home.” Johnny doesn’t respond, just stares in confused apprehension until Jaehyun continues. “I’ll move out all of my stuff from the closet and drawers and you can have it for three months.”</p>
<p>“So I don’t get the master bedroom,” Johnny fixes the sentence, “I’m just going to be sleeping in your room for three months.”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Jaehyun smiles wide, throwing his arms up excitedly, jazz hands and everything.</p>
<p>“Not particularly,” Johnny shifts in his seat, “Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”</p>
<p>“I’ve notreallyrecently come across some information that has led me to thinking you should really kick your ass into gear.”</p>
<p>“Not really recently? What does that mean exactly? And what information?”</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Jaehyun whines, shimmying his shoulders so his arms swing just slightly across his body, “Can’t you do exactly as I say and not ask any questions? Just this once?”</p>
<p>“No,” Johnny deadpans, “Do you even understand what you’re asking me to do?”</p>
<p>“Tell the man you’ve been in love with for half your life that you’re interested?” Jaehyun gasps, clutching his head and groaning, “Oh God, what a horrible idea.”</p>
<p>“I’ve known him for three years, Jaehyun. That’s hardly half of my life.”</p>
<p>“So not the point!” Donghyuck shouts, bursting in through the door.</p>
<p>“Jaehyun,” Johnny barks, “What is Donghyuck doing outside me door while you accost me?”</p>
<p>“Jaehyun’s the brains,” Donghyuck ruffles Jaehyun’s hair, “I’m the brawn.” He puffs out of his chest.</p>
<p>Johnny scoffs, catching a pair of eyes moving to hide behind the door frame. “And what does that make Mark?”</p>
<p>Mark slinks into the room with a guilty grin, “Along for the ride?”</p>
<p>Johnny shakes his head, running a hand through his hair, “No. Now get out, I was actually busy before you all came to bother me.”</p>
<p>“But the bedroom!” Jaehyun cries.</p>
<p>“I’m not potentially ruining a great friendship for your musty dusty crusty bedroom, Jaehyun.”</p>
<p>“Why are you people so annoying,” Donghyuck groans, looking upward so he doesn’t start cursing.</p>
<p>“If I’m so annoying, feel free to leave,” Johnny flourishes a hand towards the door.</p>
<p>“No,” Donghyuck plants himself on Johnny’s bed, crossing his arms, “This has gone on long enough. Everyone on the campgrounds knows about your embarrassing little crush, you’re probably the worst person in the world at hiding it except for Mark, now it’s time to do something about it.”</p>
<p>“Why are you pushing this so hard,” Johnny glares.</p>
<p>“Because, Johnny,” Donghyuck softens, “You deserve to be happy, and so does Taeil. We’re not in middle school anymore and have an infinite amount of time to stare at the cute boy across the room in math class that we’ve known since kindergarten. Taeil could not come back at any time, you could get too busy for this place, and then your chance would be gone just like that. One decision and there’s nothing left.”</p>
<p>“I have his number,” Johnny tries defending himself, but it falls weak even to his own ears, “We would still be able to keep in contact.”</p>
<p>“Would you ever use it?” Donghyuck asks seriously, “Have you used it outside of the camp thus far?”</p>
<p>Johnny stays silent, unwilling to prove Donghyuck’s point for him. “There’s nothing to prove that a confession could totally ruin your friendship,” Jaehyun offers after a beat of silence, “I think we can all agree Taeil wouldn’t be that horrible.”</p>
<p>“Would you be willing to be friends with the man that rejected you after pining for him for three years?” Johnny throws out.</p>
<p>“Oh come on, Johnny,” Mark scoffs, “I’ve rejected and been rejected by plenty of people, and stayed friends with a good number of them. Your pride isn’t a good enough reason to stand by as the ‘prettiest boy to ever grace your presence’ walks right by you.”</p>
<p>“I told you that in confidence,” Johnny pouts.</p>
<p>“And it’ll stay in the confines of this room,” Mark promises.</p>
<p>“Probably not,” Donghyuck mutters under his breath.</p>
<p>“Look, I get it,” Johnny sighs heavily, “I just don’t know if it’s the best idea.”</p>
<p>“Do you even actually want to be with him?” Donghyuck questions, staring at him concerningly serious, “Or have you just had a crush on him for so long you haven’t realized it’s been over for you for a while.”</p>
<p>Johnny pauses to think. Of course he wanted to be with Taeil.</p>
<p>He had imagined what it would be like, going on dates and then walking him back to his house, like his mother would gush about his father doing for their first date and then every date after that. Introducing him to the rest of his friends, finally moving out of his and Jaehyun’s dingy apartment to move in together. Growing to understand each other as if they’d known the other their whole life, and maybe they had. Some piece of their souls belonging to each other.</p>
<p>Introducing him to his family, meeting Taeil’s family, getting married, having two and a half kids, being happy, together, for the rest of forever.</p>
<p>Of course Johnny wanted to be with Taeil, but life doesn't always work out like the fantasies you make up in your head to help you sleep easier at night.</p>
<p>“Just think about it,” Donghyuck tells him, swinging his feet back and forth, “Something really good could come out of it. But no pressure.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolls his eyes, laying on the bed slightly behind Donghyuck’s body, “Thanks for trying to be the best friend you can be,” Johnny murmurs.</p>
<p>“What about me?” Jaehyun stomps a foot, “I’m the one who started this.”</p>
<p>“What are you talking about?” Johnny asks, scrunching his face up in confusion, “You had no part in this at all.”</p>
<p>“You’re so mean to me,” Jaehyun sighs, falling on the bed next to Johnny’s feet. Johnny kicks at his side, smiling when they lock eyes.</p>
<p>“I want love too!” Mark shouts, climbing onto Johnny’s side and clinging to him. </p>
<p>Johnny groans at the added weight, “Is this why Taeil avoids y’all at all costs?”</p>
<p>Donghyuck leans his back against Johnny’s stomach, “Taeil would never avoid me. I’m his favorite.”</p>
<p>“Me neither,” Jaehyun pipes up, “We’re best friends.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorts with his whole body, “Sure,” He decides to give in, “I’m sure he’s loved having you as a friend.”</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>“Jesus, Johnny,” Taeil yelps, stepping back with his arms crossed in front of his face, “Why are you naked?”</p>
<p>Johnny looks around the room, confused, “Because I’m changing in my own cabin?”</p>
<p>Taeil lowers his arms, glancing around, “Oh, shit,” He groans, rubbing at his eyes with his hand, “I’m sorry, I don’t know how I messed that up.”</p>
<p>Johnny swipes a shirt from the floor, “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Taeil sighs, walking over to Johnny’s bed and throwing himself face first onto it, “I’m just tired. Jaehyun, Mark and Donghyuck won’t leave me alone, the kids are practically bouncing off of the walls all day everyday, and Taeyong keeps side eyeing me ever since Myung’s accident.”</p>
<p>Johnny hums, finishing getting dressed before he goes to sit next to Taeil, “They’ve been a little extra annoying lately, haven’t they?”</p>
<p>Taeil grunts, “The counselors or the kids?”</p>
<p>“Obviously the counselors,” Johnny grins cheekily, nudging Taeil lightly.</p>
<p>Taeil rolls over with a huff, “I might actually kill one of them soon.”</p>
<p>“I’ll try and stop you,” Johnny promises sullenly.</p>
<p>Taeil laughs lightly, unable to hold it in, “I’ll just go into a blind rage and accidentally end up killing you too.”</p>
<p>“It would be an honor to be murdered at your hands.”</p>
<p>Taeil cackles, curling in on himself slightly, “You’re such an idiot.”</p>
<p>“I’m being serious!”</p>
<p>Taeil turns his head, looking up at him with a grin, “Maybe I knew what I was doing coming here.”</p>
<p>Johnny grins back, “I got a smile out of you, didn’t I?”</p>
<p>Taeil hums, looking Johnny up and down, “Lay with me.”</p>
<p>Johnny looks at him in surprise, “Would we even both fit?” </p>
<p>Taeil pouts, throwing an arm around Johnny’s waist the best he can, “You said you would come nap with me sometime. You never did.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughs awkwardly, “You’re taking up more than half of this twin sized bed, babe.”</p>
<p>“We can cuddle a little bit,” Taeil puts some whine in his voice, looking at where he’s playing with the hem of Johnny’s shirt.</p>
<p>Johnny’s breath hitches. When he asked Taeil if he paid attention to what he was saying, he meant it. Stretched out all pretty on Johnny’s bed, cheeks slightly rosy and acting cute to get his way, Taeil could bring any man to his knees. Johnny doesn’t know if he’ll survive the hurricane that is Moon Taeil, but he would love to try.</p>
<p>Taeil looks up at him through his eyelashes, “What do you say?”</p>
<p>Johnny closes his eyes briefly, trying to compose himself, “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”</p>
<p>Taeil checks his watch, “The kids are with Jungwoo for another hour.”</p>
<p>Johnny seals his lips together, internally screaming, “Okay.”</p>
<p>“Okay?” Taeil perks up.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Johnny confirms, “Scooch over.”</p>
<p>Taeil listens, moving as close to the wall as he can until Johnny lays down next to him and he lays his head on his chest. “This okay?”</p>
<p>Johnny clenches his fists, forcing them to relax so he can lay them on Taeil’s back, “Yeah, ‘course.”</p>
<p>Taeil hums, snuggling in closer to Johnny’s chest, “I’m just gonna rest my eyes for a little bit.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorts, “Maybe you should set an alarm.”</p>
<p>“Isn’t that what you’re here for?”</p>
<p>“And if I fall asleep too?”</p>
<p>“Someone will come find us,” Taeil shrugs as well as he can in his current position, “I’m not too worried about it.”</p>
<p>Johnny says nothing, listening as Taeil’s breathing evens out as he falls asleep. Once he’s sure he’s as asleep as he’s gonna get, he whips out his phone.</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>help<br/>
i’m freaking out man</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>dude u gd?</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>obviously not a hole<br/>
pretty boy in my bed<br/>
what do</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>damn man<br/>
at like 1:30 pm?<br/>
i thought youd at least wait til nite<br/>
and know what to do</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>can you be serious for any amount of time<br/>
obviously its not what ur thinking you dick</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>how is that obvious</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>can we do this later<br/>
im kinda losing it</p>
<p>jaehyun </p>
<p>y</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>nvm<br/>
ur useless</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>no wait<br/>
ill help<br/>
uh<br/>
actually bed him?</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>bye</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>im sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!<br/>
idk what to tell you<br/>
like just make out<br/>
but to each their own i guess<br/>
just tell him abt the ginormous crush you’ve been harboring for years and then make him fall in love with you</p>
<p>johnny</p>
<p>i hate the fact that i thought you were actually going to help for a second</p>
<p>jaehyun</p>
<p>its ur own fault rly</p>
<p>Johnny fiddles around on his phone for the next ten minutes, silently cursing Jaehyun out for being the least helpful person in the world. He ends up falling asleep watching a youtube video on how to tie your shirt up. An hour later, Taeil’s proven right when Jaehyun comes to wake them up.</p>
<p>“As much as I hate breaking up this adorable sight,” Jaehyun starts dramatically, with a hand pressed to his chest, “It’s time to wake up, lovebirds.”</p>
<p>“Go away,” Taeil groans, turning his head further into Johnny’s chest to block out the sudden onslaught of light.</p>
<p>“No can do,” Jaehyun clasps his hands together behind his back, rocking back and forth on his feet, “Taeyong sent me to come wake up the lovely couple.”</p>
<p>“Not a couple,” Johnny slurs out, doing his best to glare with his half shut eyes.</p>
<p>“Oh, I must’ve forgotten,” Jaehyun smiles cheerily, “Come on, not-couple, nap time is over.”</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Taeil mumbles into his shirt, “Talk to him before I do.”</p>
<p>Johnny sighs, sliding out from Taeil to stand up, “Come on, man,” Johnny mumbles, swaying on his feet as he starts pushing Jaehyun out the door.</p>
<p>“I’m not even mad,” Jaehyun catches himself on the door frame, “Gotta make the mister happy, right?”</p>
<p>With a final grunt he shoves Jaehyun out of the cabin and slams the door shut. He turns around, ignoring Jaehyun’s whimpering, and rubs a hand across his face with a yawn. Taeil sits up in bed, stretching and searching the sheets for his phone.</p>
<p>“What time’sit?” He asks sleepily.</p>
<p>“I dunno,” Johnny drags himself back to his bed, crawling in and laying his head on Taeil’s thigh.</p>
<p>“Ah, shit,” Taeil sucks a breath in between his teeth, running a hand through Johnny’s hair, “I gotta go.” Johnny whines, pushing his head harder to try and get Taeil to stay. “I know, I’m sorry. I really do have to get going though.” He moves away from Johnny, replacing his leg with a pillow at Johnny’s long drawn out groan.</p>
<p>“We’re not even busy today.”</p>
<p>“I still have to go help the kids at the lake, babes,” Taeil reminds him, straightening out his clothes and pulling his shoes on, “Do you want me to cover for you?”</p>
<p>“No,” Johnny sighs into his pillow, “I should probably get up soon anyways.”</p>
<p>Taeil hums in understanding. “Where are your kids anyways?”</p>
<p>“With Yuta until four,” Johnny tells him.</p>
<p>“You could sleep for another hour if you wanted.”</p>
<p>“Nah, I’ll go play with the other kids or something,” Johnny says, dragging himself into a sitting position and raking his eyes up and down Taeil, “Maybe I’ll come help you at the lake.”</p>
<p>“If you do, bring food,” Taeil walks up to Johnny, pinching his cheek and moving his head back and forth with it, “I’m starved.”</p>
<p>“You should stop by the cafeteria on your way out there and grab a snack.” Taeil snorts and Johnny narrows his eyes, “I’m serious. You need to be fed if you’re going to be active.”</p>
<p>“I’ll get right on that,” Taeil winks at him, moving for the door, “I’ll see you later. Thanks for letting me bother you.”</p>
<p>Johnny waves him off, laying back down for a few more minutes. As much as he wished Taeil meant something by coming into his cabin and talking him into napping with him, he was pretty sure it didn’t actually mean anything. Taeil napped with everyone. He was like a cat, able to curl up anywhere and sleep, even if it was just for a few minutes. Johnny wasn’t special in that regard, but he wondered how many other people Taeil would beg to lay with him.</p>
<p>He lays there, thinking about the way Taeil had looked curled up on his chest, lips pursed and cute as all hell. He has to turn and scream in his pillow a few times, but after twenty moments of dreaming about waking up with Taeil everyday (and the fact that Jaehyun was the one to wake them up not helping him shut that thought down) he feels awake enough to climb out of the bed and face the world again.</p>
<p>When he walks out, Jaehyun’s sitting on the steps leading to his door waiting for him. “Have you actually been sitting there this whole time?” Johnny asks, unimpressed.</p>
<p>Jaehyun scoffs, “Of course I have,” He rolls his eyes, standing when Johnny brushes past him, “You and Taeil looked real cute in there.”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure you said that already, man.”</p>
<p>“I’m just saying,” Jaehyun shrugs, speeding up when Johnny makes his strides longer to get away from him, “Seems like love is in the air.”</p>
<p>Johnny shoves Jaehyun’s head away from him, “Seems like we were literally just sleeping.”</p>
<p>“When was the last time we slept together like that?” Jaehyun asks, making an obnoxious thinking face, “Oh, wait, we never have. Because that was some intimate ass sleeping.”</p>
<p>“Intimate sleeping?” Johnny screws his face up, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”</p>
<p>“Admit it, John. Something’s going on.” Johnny just shakes his head, choosing to stay silent. “Where are you going anyway?”</p>
<p>“Mind your own business, Jaehyun.”</p>
<p>“You’re going to see Taeil, aren’t you?” Jaehyun gasps, scandalized. “Why didn’t you just say that?”</p>
<p>“I’m just going to bring him some food because I know he didn’t get any when I told him to,” Johnny tries to explain it away.</p>
<p>“You’re not helping your case at all,” Jaehyun side eyes him, “Taeil’s domesticating you.”</p>
<p>“I’m not an animal.”</p>
<p>“Not anymore,” Jaehyun raises his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Go away,” Johnny groans.</p>
<p>“Oh, I get it,” Jaehyun crosses his arms, “Since I’m not Taeil you want nothing to do with me.”</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Johnny smiles sarcastically, opening the door to the kitchen just a crack so he can slip through and close the door in Jaehyun’s face, “Go find someone else to bother!” He shouts through the window.</p>
<p>“We are no longer friends, Johnny Seo!” Jaehyun shouts back, “Don’t ever try to talk to me again!”</p>
<p>Johnny ignores him, walking away with a pleased smile spread across his face. Spending time with Taeil and pissing Jaehyun off, a perfect way to spend his day.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Setting up for a camp wide fire was always Johnny’s least favorite thing to do.</p>
<p>There were a million things to put out and make sure you have ready, someone was always stressed about causing a forest fire, and Doyoung was at his bossiest.</p>
<p>Which is why one of Johnny's campers was always sick during set up time, so he could take care of them and not be forced into anything.</p>
<p>That scheming was ruined when Taeyong simply told him “Help or you're fired,” When he went to spin his usual web of lies.</p>
<p>Which led him to where he is now, reaching to the top shelf and pulling down what Doyoung had sent him and Taeil to get from the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Ooh, get the Reese’s too,” Taeil calls up to him, “They’re scientifically proven to be better with s’mores than just regular chocolate.”</p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure you can’t scientifically prove anything with a dessert,” Johnny grunts as he stretches his body.</p>
<p>“I’ve scientifically proven it.”</p>
<p>“Oh, so you’re the scientist,” Johnny scrunches his nose as he lands back on his heels, holding the pack of Reese’s over his head, “Here you go.”</p>
<p>Taeil narrows his eyes in offense, “Don’t be an asshole.”</p>
<p>Johnny gasps, raising his hand to his chest, “I am the furthest thing from an asshole.”</p>
<p>“You’re being an asshole right now,” Taeil jabs his fingers into Johnny’s stomach, trying to snatch the pack out of his hands when he folds over.</p>
<p>Johnny pushes him back slightly, raising the arm with the Reese’s higher, “That’s dirty, Taeilie.”</p>
<p>“You started it,” Taeil harrumphs.</p>
<p>“I’m trying to hand them to you!” Johnny says incredulously, “You’re the one who’s not grabbing them!”</p>
<p>Taeil glares, and Johnny can see him just barely refrain from stomping his foot. He sizes Johnny up, straightening up determinedly.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” Johnny asks cautiously.</p>
<p>Taeil smirks at him, jumping up and grabbing his arm around his elbow. He pulls Johnny’s arm down with all his might, lifting his feet off the ground and hanging for a moment when his arm barely moves. “Give me them,” Taeil grits out.</p>
<p>“You’re so cute,” Johnny giggles at his struggling face.</p>
<p>Taeil lets go, stepping back and poking his tongue into his cheek. He relaxes suddenly, pouting up at Johnny, “You’re pretty strong.”</p>
<p>Johnny squints at him, “I know.”</p>
<p>“Do you work out?” Taeil asks, cocking his head to the side innocently.</p>
<p>“You know that I do.”</p>
<p>“It’s impressive,” Taeil steps forward, grabbing Johnny’s forearm and squeezing it between his hands, “Wow, you can even feel the muscles here.”</p>
<p>Johnny can’t help but to puff out his chest a bit. “I mean, it’s not that impressive.”</p>
<p>“No, it totally is,” Taeil moves up to his bicep, “Not everyone can look like this.”</p>
<p>Johnny shrugs, trying not to seem too cocky, “You just have to work for it, I guess.”</p>
<p>“You must’ve worked pretty hard,” Taeil giggles, moving his hand to play with the hem of Johnny’s shirt, not unlike when he was trying to convince him to nap. Johnny’s breath hitches at the feeling of the pads of Taeil’s fingers grazing across his navel, “It’s kinda hot.”</p>
<p>Johnny drops his arm, shifting the pack of Reese’s to his other hand and wrapping his newly freed one around Taeil’s waist, “I-”</p>
<p>Taeil rips the pack out of his hands, dancing away before Johnny can even process what’s just happened. “Ha!” He laughs, pointing at Johnny’s shocked face, “Men are so easy.”</p>
<p>“What.” Johnny says blankly.</p>
<p>“I knew that would work!” Taeil grins triumphantly, “Donghyuck does it all the time, it’s incredible watching him just get what he wants all the time.”</p>
<p>“What.” Johnny repeats.</p>
<p>“Donghyuck does it,” Taeil says again, giving Johnny a look that he knows is meant to convey ‘obviously you weren’t listening to me.’ And honestly? Johnny wasn’t listening to him. Because what the fuck. “And it gets him whatever he wants. Every time. That’s how I knew it would work.”</p>
<p>“Taeil, what the fuck.”</p>
<p>“What?” Taeil tilts his head.</p>
<p>“I’m not some guy at the club you’re trying to get to buy you drinks,” Johnny explains, exasperated.</p>
<p>“No, you’re the guy who decided to hold up something I asked for above where I could reach because you’re a dick.” Taeil chastises him.</p>
<p>Johnny gapes at him, genuinely wondering what he had ever done to deserve this. The only thing he can think to say is, “So you don’t think I’m hot?”</p>
<p>Taeil laughs, leaning over and clutching at his stomach, “You’re hot, John. Don’t worry about it.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffs, borderline offended as he stands there and watches Taeil laugh at him. He makes a decision right there. No one makes a fool out of Johnny Seo. Not even the probable love of his life. “Taeil,” Johnny says, lowering his voice in a whine, “How could you play me like that?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry,” Taeil pouts back, “I didn’t mean to hurt baby’s feelings.”</p>
<p>Johnny steps forward, grabbing onto Taeil’s arm, “Baby was hurt,” He pouts, leaning closer to look Taeil in the eyes, “You know I care what you think of me.”</p>
<p>Taeil gulps, “You know what I think of you.”</p>
<p>“Do I?” Johnny questions, using his grip on Taeil to pull him in closer, “You’ve never told me.” He says earnestly, widening his eyes for affect.</p>
<p>Taeil sputters, “Yes I have.”</p>
<p>Johnny hums, laying his forehead against Taeil’s, “Tell me again,” He murmurs, closing his eyes.</p>
<p>Taeil exhales shakily, “What are you doing?” He whispers.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Johnny whispers back, running his hand down to hold onto Taeil’s wrist.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Taeil admits.</p>
<p>“Just want you to tell the truth,” Johnny mumbles, using the tip of his nose to nudge Taeil’s head to the side, “Wanna know what you haven’t been telling me.”</p>
<p>“I’ve told you everything,” Taeil raises a hand to lay against Johnny’s chest.</p>
<p>Johnny hums, raising Taeil’s hand to his face so he can press a kiss to the palm of his hand, then tangling their fingers together. “I haven’t forgotten about lunch the other day.”</p>
<p>“That wasn’t- that was nothing,” Taeil gasps as Johnny glides his lips down his cheek and to the underside of his jaw.</p>
<p>“You’re lying, Taeilie.” Johnny sighs, “But it’s okay.”</p>
<p>“It is?” Taeil squeaks when Johnny just barely presses his lips against his jawline, unable to fully stop himself.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Johnny grips onto his wrist tighter, grabbing the pack of Reese’s back and moving away from Taeil as quickly as he can force himself to move, “because I just got what I wanted.” He grins sharply, dangling the treats in the air.</p>
<p>Taeil stares at him hard, trying to regulate his breathing, “You are such a bastard.”</p>
<p>“You’ve said that once or twice before,” Johnny blinks at him pleasantly, trying not to show how flustered he actually is.</p>
<p>Taeil huffs, crossing the room and swinging the door open, only for Jaehyun to fall into the room. “What?” Taeil glares down at him.</p>
<p>“Doyoung sent me to find you guys,” Jaehyun explains, looking back and forth between the two of them, “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”</p>
<p>“You interrupted nothing more than Johnny being an ass for the hell of it,” Taeil mumbles, stepping over Jaehyun’s body and leaving through the door.</p>
<p>They both watch him go, Jaehyun getting himself up off the ground and wiping off his rumpled clothes, “Jesus, man.”</p>
<p>Johnny exhales, deflating against the counter, “What the fuck.”</p>
<p>“That’s what I’m saying!” Jaehyun has to hold himself back from shouting, “What the fuck was that?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Johnny cries, running his hands through his hair harshly, “What was I thinking? That’s some sleazy shit you do!”</p>
<p>Jaehyun makes a face, “I don’t know if I should be offended by that or not.”</p>
<p>“I’m going into hiding,” Johnny groans, “If I’m turning into you it just gets worse from here.”</p>
<p>“It was kinda hot though,” Jaehyun says in a hushed whisper.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, I know,” Johnny whisper shouts back, “I almost fucking passed out.”</p>
<p>“I got here halfway through,” Jaehyun tells him, “I was rooting for you so hard, man.”</p>
<p>“You’re a good friend,” Johnny sighs, patting Jaehyun on the back, “but a great friend would have stopped me from being such a dumbass.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, man,” Jaehyun shakes his head, falling into step with Johnny as they walk out of the kitchen, “Taeil seemed pretty into it.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorts, “Right. Right before he ran out like his ass was on fire.”</p>
<p>“You were basically about to eat him alive,” Jaehyun shrugs, “Can’t blame him for being disappointed that you didn’t.”</p>
<p>Johnny scoffs, shoving Jaehyun away lightly. “Shut up, man.”</p>
<p>“I’m being serious!”</p>
<p>“That’s what makes it worse.”</p>
<p>“Johnny!” Donghyuck calls, jogging over to them, “What the hell did you do to Taeil? He came out here bright red and then snapped at Yuta for asking what was up with him.”</p>
<p>Johnny feels himself get hot, “Why would you think I had anything to do with that?”</p>
<p>“Are you trying to tell me it was Jaehyun?”</p>
<p>Johnny scowls, “Obviously it wasn’t Jaehyun.”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Jaehyun frowns, “It could’ve been.”</p>
<p>Johnny gives him a look, “No. It couldn’t have been.”</p>
<p>“So then it would have to be you.” Donghyuck points out.</p>
<p>“And if it was?” Johnny throws back.</p>
<p>“If it was, then what the hell happened.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it,” Johnny tries to wave him off.</p>
<p>“They were about to run off to someone’s cabin, if you get my drift.” Jaehyun tells him seriously.</p>
<p>Donghyuck gasps loudly, turning to Johnny for confirmation, “Are you kidding me? Why would you not tell me that?” He hisses.</p>
<p>“That’s not exactly what happened,” Johnny shifts, “Jaehyun’s blowing it out of proportion.”</p>
<p>“I thought I had walked into a porno.”</p>
<p>“Jaehyun!”</p>
<p>“So did you tell him?” Donghyuck moves in closer, “But if you did why was he so embarrassed? Because you got caught?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t tell him anything,” Johnny stops him, “It’s. Complicated. I guess.”</p>
<p>“What is complicated? Just tell him!”</p>
<p>“Don’t tell me what to do! I’m older than you!”</p>
<p>“Then act like it!”</p>
<p>Johnny glares, putting his hands on his hips, “Don’t boss me around. If I wanted someone to harass me I’d let you know.” Donghyuck rolls his eyes, turning and calling for Taeil. “What are you doing?” Johnny hisses frantically, tugging at Donghyuck’s shirt. Donghyuck shakes him off, glaring at him.</p>
<p>“What?” Taeil asks, walking over to them.</p>
<p>“Johnny has something to tell you.”</p>
<p>“Donghyuck, knock it off.”</p>
<p>“What’s up?” Taeil turns to him.</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Johnny dismisses him quickly.</p>
<p>Taeil squints at him, “Just tell me.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing to tell. Donghyuck’s trying to be an asshole.” Johnny wrings his fingers together nervously.</p>
<p>“What’s going on here?” Taeil asks suspiciously.</p>
<p>“Here are your Reese’s,” Johnny thrusts the pack of them into Taeil’s chest, “Sorry, for taking them from you earlier.”</p>
<p>Taeil turns pink, “Right,” He mutters, grabbing the sweets from Johnny’s hand, “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Johnny nods silently, avoiding looking at Donghyuck and Jaehyun’s awaiting faces. “I’ll have to try them. With the s’mores, I mean.”</p>
<p>“Sounds nasty,” Jaehyun scrunches his nose.</p>
<p>“They’re scientifically proven to be better with s’mores than just regular chocolate,” Johnny tells him, smiling helplessly at the surprised look on Taeil’s face.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah? Which scientist would be the one that proved that?” Jaehyun scoffs.</p>
<p>“Obviously the best scientist in the world.” Johnny nudges Taeil.</p>
<p>Taeil presses his eyelids together harshly, trying to stop the smile from spreading across his face. “You’re so lame.”</p>
<p>Johnny grins dopily, reaching out to pinch Taeil’s arm lightly, “Only for you.”</p>
<p>Donghyuck pretends to retch, holding onto Jaehyun’s shoulder for support. “Sorry,” He shivers, “That was truly disgusting.”</p>
<p>Taeil glares playfully, “You’re the one who started this.”</p>
<p>“And I regret it,” Donghyuck looks upward, clasping his hands to his chest, “If there’s a God, you won’t make me have to witness this.” Donghyuck sighs with a smile when Doyoung calls them all over to the firepit, “I guess God wins again.”</p>
<p>Johnny stops Taeil from following after Jaehyun and Donghyuck with a hand against his chest, “Let’s talk later,” He sets his shoulders, “I want to tell you something.”</p>
<p>Taeil tilts his head in question, “Something important?”</p>
<p>“It depends on what you consider important, I guess.” Taeil sizes him up, nodding his agreement before motioning for Johnny to join him in the trek over to Doyoung.</p>
<p>“We all know things are going to be hectic tonight,” Doyoung starts once they get there, “There are more sweets than usual, the kids have been climbing up walls all week, whatever. I need y’all to not let an accident happen like last time regardless. Sorry.” He turns to Taeil.</p>
<p>“It’s fine.”</p>
<p>“That’s really all I needed to tell you. Keep your kids in line and please keep an eye out for them.”</p>
<p>“So you made us all huddle up for? So we can throw our hands up in the air and shout ‘go team’?” Yuta asks snarkily.</p>
<p>Doyoung raises his eyebrows, “You’re cleaning any and all dishes tonight.”</p>
<p>Yuta splutters, “Ahaha, I was just kidding, Doyoungie.” He laughs nervously.</p>
<p>“But I wasn’t,” Doyoung grins sharply, clapping his hands together once, “You can all go do whatever it is you need to. Go team!”</p>
<p>Yuta groans, trudging back over to the table to pop a marshmallow in his mouth, “I do nothing and still get in trouble.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know if that’s considered doing nothing.” Jungwoo drags out.</p>
<p>“Well I do,” Yuta pouts, “I was joking.”</p>
<p>“Didn’t sound like joking to me,” Donghyuck mutters under his breath.</p>
<p>“Yah, someone teach this kid some respect,” Yuta complains.</p>
<p>“I’ve been trying to tell him,” Taeil tsks.</p>
<p>Yuta grabs Taeil around the shoulders, pulling him into his chest, “Taeil’s the only one who understands me.”</p>
<p>Taeil laughs, “You sound like an angsty teenager.”</p>
<p>“Maybe I am,” Yuta frowns, “Mark, can I join your cabin?”</p>
<p>“Hell no,” Mark snorts, “I can’t deal with that attitude. Go bother Jaehyun.”</p>
<p>Yuta grasps his chest, curling into himself as though he’s been shot, “Ouch. I never realized the entire camp hated my guts.”</p>
<p>Johnny can’t stop himself from rolling his eyes, “The dramatics are truly incredible.”</p>
<p>“What am I being dramatic about, Johnny? I just found out all of my friends have hated me this whole time.”</p>
<p>“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Johnny says sarcastically.</p>
<p>“You know, I never call you dramatic because you get jealous of T-”</p>
<p>“Woah!” Johnny shouts, interrupting him, “What the hell, dude?”</p>
<p>“I’m just saying,” Yuta huffs, releasing Taeil and crossing his arms.</p>
<p>“Wait, what’s he jealous of?” Jaehyun asks.</p>
<p>“Jaehyun,” Donghyuck sighs, shaking his head with his eyes closed.</p>
<p>“What?” Jaehyun frowns when Donghyuck starts shoving him away, “I’m actually asking!”</p>
<p>“I know,” Donghyuck pushes him down the path, “That’s what makes it worse.”</p>
<p>“Your friend is really weird,” Taeil murmurs to Johnny, staring after Jaehyun and Donghyuck.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Johnny says simply.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Johnny’s ninety-nine percent sure he’s going to throw up.</p>
<p>Ever since the three stooges cornered him in his room, it felt like everyday, every moment between him and Taeil, was leading up to something. What, he was unsure, but he could feel something changing. Could almost hear buzzing surrounding them when they interacted.</p>
<p>Which, admittedly, could have just been the prickling sensation from his idiotic friends staring him down, but still. There was something in the air.</p>
<p>Jaehyun would say it’s love, Yuta would say it’s the UST bubbling over, but Johnny thinks it’s something different. Something tangible in a way that didn’t just have to do with sex or overly emotional thoughts.</p>
<p>Maybe it was that way of thinking that made him ask Taeil to talk later, or maybe what happened in the kitchen had built up his false bravado so much he just couldn’t help himself, but he resented it either way. What was he supposed to talk to him about? In the moment he was thinking of confessing, but now? Two hours later? He would rather die.</p>
<p>Not really, but the thought of actually confessing, actually laying it all out there, was enough to make him break out into hives. Which was only slightly humiliating, but very on brand if he really thought about it.</p>
<p>But right now, in this moment, left alone as all their friends go get more food or drinks or whatever, Johnny doesn’t know what to do. They’re sitting there, staring at the fire silently and he can’t think of a single thing to say. He probably looks like an idiot, opening his mouth periodically only to snap it shut a second later, but he can’t stop.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Taeil finally says something, “Who’s water bottle is that?” He points to the side.</p>
<p>Johnny glances over, “It’s mine.”</p>
<p>Taeil reaches his hand out, “Gimmie.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffs out a laugh, “You could just get your own.”</p>
<p>“Why would I when there’s a perfectly good one right there?”</p>
<p>“Because that one’s mine.”</p>
<p>“You can share,” Taeil pouts at him, “Can’t you?”</p>
<p>Johnny smiles begrudgingly, “Have you earned it?”</p>
<p>“I have to earn your kindness now?” Johnny shrugs, grinning cheekily at the faux outraged look Taeil gives him. “You’re a little shit.” Taeil says as he heaves himself out of his seat. Johnny’s laughter slowly dissipates as Taeil puts a hand on the arm of his chair, leaning over him to grab the water bottle. “You couldn’t just put the damn thing in your cup holder?” He grumbles.</p>
<p>Johnny gulps, forcing himself not to look away when Taeil straightens up a little bit, their faces inches away from each other. Taeil’s eyes widen at their proximity, cheeks turning a pretty rosy color. Johnny’s heart floods with affection and he knows he can’t hold it in anymore. “You’re really cute.” He tells Taeil earnestly. Taeil’s cheeks turn a darker red, hands coming up to cover them. “I’m serious,” Johnny insists as Taeil moves to sit in the seat next to him. “Everything you do is cute.”</p>
<p>“Knock it off,” Taeil swats at his shoulder, looking at his eyebrows instead of his eyes in embarrassment.</p>
<p>Johnny’s left a little breathless with how his chest is starting to hurt just by looking at Taeil get all blushy and soft, and that’s it for him, he can’t take anymore. </p>
<p>“I really like you,” he blurts, the words leaving his mouth faster than he can process them. Taeil startles, looking at him with his mouth wide open, “Like, a lot.”</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Taeil stutters out, “I-”</p>
<p>“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same,” Johnny goes to clap a hand on his thigh to reassure him, but thinks better of it at the last minute and takes his hand back. “I don’t know why I decided to say that right now. I just couldn’t not tell you for any longer.”</p>
<p>Taeil looks around them, “Wha- Since when?”</p>
<p>“Um, probably the first week we met?” Johnny rubs the nape of his neck nervously, “Yeah, definitely in the first week. You were only really close with Sicheng and would follow him around everywhere. It was really cute. But when I approached you you immediately started talking to me like we were best friends. It was really comforting.”</p>
<p>Taeil’s still just looking at him shell shocked. “I had no idea.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Johnny scratches his head. “I feel like it was pretty obvious.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t!”</p>
<p>“I mean, pretty much everyone knew.”</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sorry,” Johnny winces, “Anyways, uh, I’m gonna go over there.” He points behind himself half-hazardly, chugging the rest of the Coke can in his hand and standing from his spot.</p>
<p>“Johny, wait!” Taeil stands up to stop him, “Just wait a minute.”</p>
<p>Johnny shifts from foot to foot nervously, looking around him to try and find someone to pull him out of this situation.</p>
<p>“You,” Taeil points to him, “Like me?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Johnny drawls out.</p>
<p>“But-” Taeil stops, annoyed at himself for not knowing how to continue.</p>
<p>“It’s fine,” Johnny decides to intervene, “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Or, uh, me? I guess.”</p>
<p>“That’s not it.” Taeil tries.</p>
<p>“It’s really okay,” Johnny emphasizes, “I’m gonna go help Jaehyun out of the pile of kids trampling him.”</p>
<p>“Can you listen for five minutes? Oh my God.”</p>
<p>“I listen,” Johnny frowns.</p>
<p>“You really don’t. It’s cute though.”</p>
<p>“Hah, thanks.” Johnny bites out a laugh.</p>
<p>“What I was trying to say,” Taeil starts pointedly, “Is that I like you too.”</p>
<p>Johnny stares for a second, “Oh.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Taeil smiles this cute, tiny and shy version of his usual smile, “If you could just let me get out a sentence.”</p>
<p>Johnny nods, trying to absorb the information, “Okay, cool.”</p>
<p>“Cool?”</p>
<p>A wide grin takes over Johnny’s face, “Yeah, cool.”</p>
<p>“Oh my God,” Taeil tries tamping down his own huge smile, shaking his head at the floor, “You are so lame.”</p>
<p>“But you like it,” Johnny nudges Taeil’s foot with his own, “That makes you kinda lame too.”</p>
<p>“I guess it does,” Taeil looks back up, locking eyes with Johnny and blushing slightly.</p>
<p>“Let’s go get another drink,” Johnny offers. Taeil tilts his head to the side, slightly confused, but nods his assent, grabbing the offered hand and letting Johnny pull him along.</p>
<p>Instead of taking him to the drinks table, Johnny pulls him to the side of the cabin closest to them, dragging Taeil into a darker spot and spinning him around so they can face each other. “Are the drinks hiding under the bushes?” Taeil jokes, going easily when Johnny pulls him into him.</p>
<p>“Can I kiss you?” He asks.</p>
<p>Taeil softens, grinning lightly as he nods his head. Johnny leans down, using two fingers to tilt Taeil’s head up, and finally, finally, presses their lips together. There’s no words he can think of to describe the feeling of kissing the man he’s probably (definitely) in love with.</p>
<p>The kiss is just a sweet, short thing. Their lips barely moving against each other. Johnny pulls back when he feels like he’s going to scream, holding it in by sheer will power. He pulls away, resting their foreheads together, and moves his hands down to wrap around Taeil’s waist. “Hey,” Taeil whispers, smiling with his eyes still closed.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Johnny whispers back. Taeil pulls away so he can look him in the eyes, giggling slightly before circling his arms around Johnny’s neck and dragging him into another kiss, this one deeper, more intense then the first. Johnny is very, very, into it. He takes tiny steps forward, moving Taeil back to rest against the wall of the cabin. Taeil groans, tilting his head to the side to deepen the kiss.</p>
<p>There’s rustling in the bush directly behind them. “Oooh,” They hear, giggles spilling out of the leaves.</p>
<p>Johnny pulls away, trying valiantly to ignore Taeil’s whine, and looks behind him. “Who’s there?”</p>
<p>A tiny little hand pops up, waving back and forth frantically, “It’s us!” Myung shouts shamelessly.</p>
<p>Taeil sighs, letting his head fall back against the wall with a thunk, “Why are you over here?”</p>
<p>“Why are you over here, Mr. Taeil?” Jihun pops up, pressing his hands against his mouth to stop the giggles from pouring out.</p>
<p>“Mr. Johnny!” Hyunjin jumps out of the bush, throwing his arms up in the air, “Congratulations! It finally happened!”</p>
<p>Johnny lets out an awkward laugh, stepping away from Taeil and adjusting his shirt, “Yeah, it did. Thanks, guys.”</p>
<p>“Wait,” Taeil looks between them, “What finally happened?”</p>
<p>“Mr. Johnny’s had the biggest crush on you for forever.” Iseul rolls out from where he was lying behind the bush, stumbling up onto two feet, “Which I don’t understand. He wasn’t even worried about cooties.” He scrunches up his nose.</p>
<p>“Idiot, only girls have cooties.” Myung elbows him.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Iseul frowns.</p>
<p>“Myung’s the idiot,” Minjun rolls his eyes, pulling a leaf out of his hair, “Anybody you like has cooties. That’s why you’re not supposed to kiss anyone.” He side eyes Taeil and Johnny, “It gives you germs.”</p>
<p>“That’s not how that works,” Johnny tries.</p>
<p>“Don’t try to lie to us, Mr. Johnny,” Hyunjin puts his hands on his hips, “We know all about it.”</p>
<p>“Why do the children know about your crush?” Taeil asks, swatting at Johnny’s stomach.</p>
<p>“It was so obvious,” Daehwi steps out from behind a tree.</p>
<p>“Was it?” Taeil questions, thoroughly amused.</p>
<p>“Well,” Kyung shrugs, “Youngjae heard Mr. Johnny talking to Mr. Jaehyun about it. And then Youngjae told Sunwoo, and Sunwoo told Taehyung, and Taehyung told everyone because he’s a blabber mouth.” Kyung scowls through the last bit of that sentence, and Johnny’s too scared of the context to ask why that is.</p>
<p>“When did this happen?”</p>
<p>“Last year,” Jihun smiles up at him, “Mr. Johnny told us we had to keep it a secret.”</p>
<p>“It was so hard,” Hyunjin groans.</p>
<p>“We know,” Daehwi glares at him, “You almost told him a million times.”</p>
<p>Hyunjin sticks his tongue out at him and Johnny decides to step in now before it can go any further. “Alright, let's all head back. None of us should have been over here in the first place.”</p>
<p>The boys look at each other, “I’m guessing we’re not supposed to tell anyone about this?” Myung asks, clasping his hands together in front of him.</p>
<p>“Oh my God,” Taeil closes his eyes.</p>
<p>“That would be ideal.” Johnny tries.</p>
<p>“Then we’re going to need something in return.” Jihun says, looking at his nails as if he was bored.</p>
<p>“What.” Taeil sighs.</p>
<p>“Extra desserts for the rest of camp.” Jihun narrows his eyes at them.</p>
<p>“No.” Taeil shuts him down immediately.</p>
<p>Iseul smiles sweetly at them. “Mr. Taeyong!” He screams.</p>
<p>Johnny jolts, “Okay! Okay, Jesus.” The boys grin. “You can have your extra desserts.”</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Taeil hisses at him.</p>
<p>“I’d rather that then deal with Taeyong being mad at us,” Johnny reasons, turning back to the boys, “You realize you would have gotten in trouble as well, right?”</p>
<p>“Worth it,” Minjun sing songs, following along with his friends as they head back to where they’re supposed to be.</p>
<p>Johnny laughs to himself, turning back to face Taeil, “How long do you think we have before they come back for us?”</p>
<p>Taeil laughs, “Maybe three seconds.”</p>
<p>Johnny shrugs, leaning in to give Taeil a chaste kiss, “Good enough for me.”</p>
<p>Taeil shakes his head with a grin, pushing Johnny away so they can start to walk. “Let’s go, casanova.”</p>
<p>“Does that mean you find me charming?”</p>
<p>“It means move your ass,” Taeil smacks a hand against Johnny’s butt.</p>
<p>Johnny cackles, wrapping an arm around Taeil as they walk. When they get to the clearing Jaehyun automatically locks his eyes on them, dropping his plate on the table and rushing over. “Why are Taeil’s campers saying they saw you guys kissing by the cabins?”</p>
<p>Johnny gapes, “Myung!” He calls him over.</p>
<p>“What’s up, Mr. Johnny?”</p>
<p>“What happened to not telling anyone? You don’t want those extra desserts?”</p>
<p>“We said we wouldn’t tell the counselors,” Daehwi slides over to them, “And we didn’t. We only told Taehyung.”</p>
<p>Johny seals his lips together so he doesn’t curse out a kid. “You did not say that.”</p>
<p>“This is why you don’t make a deal with the devil,” Taeil mutters to him.</p>
<p>“They look so sweet!” He cries.</p>
<p>“You know they’re not! They tormented you for weeks!”</p>
<p>“They were being sweet by doing that for you,” Johnny frowns. “No extra desserts.” He tells the kids.</p>
<p>“We were perfectly in the bounds of our contract.” Myung protests.</p>
<p>“No, you weren’t,” Taeil pushes him away, “You ruined your own game by being a little brat. Now go, play with your friends.” Myung and Daehwi only glare for a second before turning and running off.</p>
<p>Johnny looks back at Jaehyun’s waiting expression, “So does that mean it’s true? You got together finally?”</p>
<p>“Well,” Johnny draws out, unsure of how to answer the question.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Taeil cuts in, smiling sideways at Johnny, “We did.”</p>
<p>Johnny feels his chest swell, smiling helplessly back at Taeil. “Oh my God.” Jaehyun whispers, “I did it.”</p>
<p>“You did what?” Johnny asks him.</p>
<p>“I got you together!” Jaehyun shouts, “I knew I could do it and I did!”</p>
<p>“You didn’t do shit,” Taeil rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“Yes I did!” Jaehyun grins smugly at him, “I knew you liked Johnny this whole time.”</p>
<p>“Shut up.” Taeil waves him off.</p>
<p>“I’m serious! I did!”</p>
<p>“Let it go, Jae,” Johnny pats him on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“Sicheng told me,” Jaehyun blurts out, slapping a hand against his mouth after.</p>
<p>“Sicheng what?” Taeil asks.</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Jaehyun laughs nervously, “He did nothing.”</p>
<p>“When did Sicheng tell you that?”</p>
<p>“When did Sicheng tell you that?” Jaehyun's voice goes all high and pitchy. At Taeil’s resounding glare he continues, “Sorry. He told me last year after we hooked up.”</p>
<p>“What the fu-”</p>
<p>“Taeil.” Taeyong says sharply, eyeing them from where he’s pouring himself a drink.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Taeil shakes his head. “Why the he-” Taeyong clears his throat loudly, “-ck would he tell you that?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Jaehyun shrugs, “We were just talking about Johnny and it slipped out.”</p>
<p>“You talk about me when you’re in bed with someone?” Johnny scrunches up his face.</p>
<p>“He asked why I had condoms with me,” Jaehyun rolls his eyes, “I told him they were yours and it just spiraled from there.”</p>
<p>Johnny winces when Taeil turns to stare at him. “My friend stuffed them in my bag before I left to go home for the summer,” Johnny explains, “I forgot to take them out before I came here and Jaehyun abused that information.”</p>
<p>“Right.”</p>
<p>“I’m serious!”</p>
<p>“So what do you have to do with us getting together?” Taeil turns back to Jaehyun, “Just because you knew about our mutual feelings?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, what the hell dude,” Johnny pouts at him, “How could you not tell me?”</p>
<p>“How would you have felt if I told Taeil about your feelings?” Jaehyun raises his eyebrows at Johnny. Johnny cringes, thinking about the fight that would ensue. “Exactly. That’s not fair.” Jaehyun clicks his tongue at him. “And to answer your question,” He turns to Taeil, “I was ready for this to be an easy, relaxing, summer. I was gonna sit back and leave you alone so you two could get closer,” He motions between them, “I didn’t think Johnny was going to take over annoying the hell out of you.”</p>
<p>“You drove me crazy the week before camp started,” Taeil scoffs in disbelief, “That's what you call sitting back?”</p>
<p>“I couldn’t help it,” Jaehyun grins, reaching forward to pinch Taeil’s cheek, “You’re just so cute when you get all huffy with me.”</p>
<p>Taeil bats his hand away, letting Johnny push Jaehyun’s head back without complaint. “You still had nothing to do with us.”</p>
<p>“Au contraire, my friend.”</p>
<p>“No, no contraire. You suck, Johnny doesn’t, and he’s hot and grew a pair. That's it.”</p>
<p>“Who convinced you to grow a pair, Johnny boy?” Jaehyun asks with a pleased grin.</p>
<p>“It was Jaehyun.” Johnny says after a long pause. Taeil shakes his head, walking away from them. “Taeil I’m sorry! I can’t lie to the man who was there!”</p>
<p>“Damn,” Jaehyun whistles, “Dumped the same night you two finally pulled your heads out of your asses.”</p>
<p>Johnny wraps an arm around his neck, pulling him to the ground so they can fight.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Taeil smiles into the rim of his cup as he watches Johnny chase Jaehyun around, the kids zig zagging in between them, throwing leaves and grass at the two of them. He couldn’t believe this was where the night had led, but he can’t say he’s complaining in any way.</p>
<p>“So it’s true.” Jungwoo says more than asks, leaning against Taeil’s left side, “You and Johnny are official now.”</p>
<p>Taeil shrugs, taking a sip from his cup, “On the way there, at least.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Yuta comes over, jostling Taeil with an arm over his shoulder. Taeil stares morosely at the majority of his drink now on the ground after spilling out of his cup with the movement. “It only took a thousand and a half years.”</p>
<p>“Is everyone in this camp this dramatic?” Taeil asks, “Is this why Taeyong hates all of you.”</p>
<p>“He hates you too then, Taeilie.” Yuta coos at him.</p>
<p>Taeil bites at his hand, ignoring Yuta’s laughter as he moves it away. “You’re welcome.” Donghyuck walks up, putting a full cup in Taeil’s empty one.</p>
<p>“You’re a godsend,” Taeil tells him.</p>
<p>“Not for that,” Donghyuck waves him off, “I was just proving I'll always be a better friend than Yuta. I was saying you’re welcome for getting you and Johnny together.”</p>
<p>“This again?” Taeil sighs.</p>
<p>“Mark and I were the masterminds of the operation. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.” Donghyuck tells him seriously.</p>
<p>“Right.” He says simply.</p>
<p>“No, really!” Mark’s shouting as he comes up to them, “We were at the center of it all.”</p>
<p>“I believe you,” Taeil assures them, even if he doesn’t. “Thank you. For being so smart.”</p>
<p>“You’re welcome,” Mark preens under the praise, “Who should we set up next?”</p>
<p>“Taeyong and Doyoung.” Yuta practically shouts, laughing raucously when Doyoung spits out what he had in his mouth, dry heaving. Taeil uses the opportunity to slip away, going to sit next to Johnny who has somehow convinced all of the kids to attack Jaehyun and leave him alone.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Taeil smiles at him.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Johnny smiles back.</p>
<p>Taeil moves his seat closer, leaning against Johnny’s arm. “I really like you.” He whispers, playing with the bracelet on Johnny’s wrist.</p>
<p>Johnny smiles softly, turning his hand around palm up so Taeil can fit his tiny fingers in between his bigger ones, “I really like you too.”</p>
<p>“I don’t want this to end here,” Taeil tells him earnestly.</p>
<p>“Of course it’s not,” Johnny raises their hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of Taeil’s hand, “I’m not gonna let you get rid of me that quickly.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Taeil grins at him, suddenly feeling shy, “Can’t believe I bagged myself one of those giant stuffed teddy bears.”</p>
<p>Johnny cackles loudly, smacking a kiss onto Taeil’s forehead, “I actually haven’t heard that one before.”</p>
<p>“You better not have,” Taeil lays his head against Johnny’s arm, “I’ve been holding onto that one for a year.”</p>
<p>“You’re cute.” Johnny tells him.</p>
<p>“I know.” Taeil says, hiding his smile into Johnny’s shirt sleeve.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>“Mr. Taeil?” Hyunjin tugs on his shirt.</p>
<p>Taeil looks down at him, kneeling when he registers the watery eyes looking back up at him. “What’s wrong, honey? Are you hurt?”</p>
<p>Hyunjin shakes his head, laying his head on Taeil’s shoulder, “I’m just really gonna miss you. This was the best summer yet.”</p>
<p>Taeil coos, running his hand up and down Hyunjin’s back to sooth him, “I think so too.” He whispers to him, graciously pretending he can’t hear him sniffling.</p>
<p>Hyunjin sucks in a shuddery breath, wiping his nose against Taeil’s shirt as he moves back a little. “You’ll be here next year, right?”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Taeil tries not to cringe at the wet spot he can feel on his shoulder when he moves, “Nothing could keep me away from my favorite campers.”</p>
<p>Hyunjin brightens up slightly, “Would you say I was your favorite out of all of them?”</p>
<p>“I would definitely say you were one of my favorites.” Taeil boops Hyunjin’s nose when he frowns, disappointed he hadn’t caught Taeil up. “Now come on, let’s get your stuff outside for when your parents get here.”</p>
<p>Hyunjin nods, grabbing his backpack and shuffling out behind Taeil.</p>
<p>“She did not say that.” Taeil turns when he hears Mark’s voice so close, watching him walk down the path with Jisung plastered to his side.</p>
<p>“She totally did!” Jisung continues rapidly spitting out his story, pausing every few seconds to let Mark respond.</p>
<p>“Chan!” Hyunjin calls, running past Taeil and to his friend, “Are you leaving already?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Chan nods, “My mom has something for us to do tonight.”</p>
<p>“But aren’t you going to be tired?” Hyunjin scrunches his nose up.</p>
<p>“I’ll be alright,” Chan smiles at him, ruffling up his hair, “Aren’t I supposed to be the one worried about you? I’m the older one.”</p>
<p>Hyunjin huffs, patting down his hair to the best of his ability. He looks back at Taeil, silently asking for permission to leave him behind with his suitcase. Taeil muffles his laughter, shooing him away and watching as he happily latches onto Chan’s arm, talking his ear off.</p>
<p>“Here,” Johnny appears behind him, making Taeil jump a foot in the air, “Let me grab that bag for you.”</p>
<p>“You sure?” Taeil asks even as he’s handing the bag over, “I’m perfectly capable of carrying it on my own.”</p>
<p>“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you carry heavy things?”</p>
<p>“So what does that say about me as a boyfriend?” Taeil raises his eyebrows.</p>
<p>“That’s different,” Johnny says, dropping the bag off next to the rest of Taeil’s cabin’s bags, neatly lined up so they can grab them and go, “One of us has muscle, the other one doesn’t.”</p>
<p>Taeil glowers at him, “You watch it Johnny Seo,” He warns, “ Or I might just have to show you how strong I really am.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Johnny wiggles his eyebrows, tugging Taeil into him by the wrist, “Is that a promise?”</p>
<p>“Knock it off,” Taeyong shoves his clipboard in between them, “I didn’t say anything about the kissing incident, but I will kill you if you start acting up in front of the parents.” Johnny backs off, raising his hands in the air. Taeil has to turn away so he doesn’t laugh when he winks at him behind Taeyong’s back.</p>
<p>“Where’s Mark?” Donghyuck asks, bouncing over to them, “I could’ve sworn I just saw him.”</p>
<p>“He’s off with Jisung somewhere,” Johnny tells him, “They were talking about something that seemed pretty juicy.”</p>
<p>Donghyuck groans, throwing the iciest glare he could muster up at Taeil, “This is your fault.”</p>
<p>“What? Mark finally being nice?” Taeil scoffs.</p>
<p>“No, a bunch of little brats stealing my friend.” He crosses his arms. “I had gossip I wanted to tell him.”</p>
<p>“You could tell us,” Taeil offers.</p>
<p>Donghyuck rolls his eyes, “It’s not the same, but fine. Guess who I walked in on making out this morning?”</p>
<p>“Taeyong and Doyoung?” Johnny guesses.</p>
<p>Donghyuck stomps his foot, “Taeil.”</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Taeil sighs.</p>
<p>“What?” Johnny cries, “He told us to guess!”</p>
<p>“Who was it, Hyuck?” Taeil tries to placate him.</p>
<p>“It was Taeyong and Doyoung.”</p>
<p>Taeil gasps, letting his mouth hang open for effect, “What?!”</p>
<p>Donghyuck sighs, “It’s not the same.”</p>
<p>“Sorry kid.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. I’m gonna go find Mark and tell him it was Jungwoo and Taeyong.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Johnny asks.</p>
<p>“Because he’ll be floundering around both of them and Doyoung. It’ll be hilarious, obviously.”</p>
<p>“Obviously,” Johnny rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>“I’ll see you later Taeilie,” Donghyuck smiles at him sweetly, turning to Johnny with a murderous glare, “And I’ll see you in Hell.” He stalks off, pulling his phone out to most likely text Mark repeatedly until he answered.</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you just tell him we caught them a week ago?” Johnny asks, moving out of the way when Yuta comes barreling through them, three bags in each hand and a kid hanging off of his back.</p>
<p>“He obviously thought he was the first to know,” Taeil shrugs, “Not all of us want to ruin that.”</p>
<p>“I was answering his question honestly,” Johnny sighs, following Taeil as he heads back to his cabin.</p>
<p>“It was a rhetorical question,” Taeil points out, “He didn’t want you to actually guess.”</p>
<p>“I’ll never answer anyone’s questions ever again then,” Johnny offers, holding the door open for Taeil to walk through.</p>
<p>“You’re a special kind of dramatic today,” Taeil observes, pulling three more bags down from the beds.</p>
<p>“I have a very important and exciting date tonight,” Johnny shrugs, “It’s heightening my emotions.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Taeil questions, “Anyone I know?” He feigns ignorance.</p>
<p>“Just the cutest guy on this side of the country,” Johnny pulls him into his chest from behind.</p>
<p>“Sounds like you’re looking forward to it,” Taeil breathes.</p>
<p>“Of course I am,” Johnny murmurs, kissing his neck lightly, “I’ve been waiting for forever. But we’re finally getting a moment together.”</p>
<p>Taeil turns around in his grasp, surging up to press their lips together, “We’ve been together all summer.”</p>
<p>“A moment alone, then.” Johnny leans down, kissing him again.</p>
<p>“Mr. Taeil!” Myung calls, bursting through the door. Taeil pushes Johnny away, ignoring his groan of pain when he slams into a bed post, “I’ve come to summon you for Mr. Taeyong. He said it doesn’t take that long to get a bag.”</p>
<p>“Go tell Mr. Taeyong to mind his business,” Johnny groans, rubbing his lower back.</p>
<p>Myung gasps, “I’m telling him you said that!”</p>
<p>“Myung, don-” Myung’s already running off before Johnny can finish his sentence.</p>
<p>“Sorry, babe,” Taeil winces in sympathy, “I told you to show no weakness with them.”</p>
<p>“This is why we need a moment alone,” Johnny glares at the door, “No more monsters finding ways to get me in trouble.”</p>
<p>“They like you,” Taeil shrugs, handing Johnny two bags and taking the third in his own hand, “They just don’t know how to show it so they bother you.”</p>
<p>“At this point I’d rather them like me a lot less,” Johnny grumbles.</p>
<p>They carry the rest of the bags over to their piles, Johnny avoiding Taeyong when he raises an eyebrow at him. The kids’ parents slowly start showing up, most of them taking the jumping hugs and long winded explanations of the summer graciously, thanking Taeyong and the counselors before bounding off.</p>
<p>Myung and Kyung’s father nearly falls when they both attack him at the same time.</p>
<p>Youngjae cries when he hugs Jaehyun goodbye.</p>
<p>Seojun has Yuta carry him to his car seat.</p>
<p>Mark exchanges numbers with his campers one by one as they leave, promising that they can text or call him whenever.</p>
<p>Donghyuck has to turn away when Felix’s car drives away, composing himself before a tear could drop.</p>
<p>Jungwoo pumps a fist in the air when his last camper leaves.</p>
<p>And Johnny grabs Taeil by his wrist, tugging him down the path and back to his cabin when all the kids are gone.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” Taeil laughs, quickening his pace to match Johnny’s long strides.</p>
<p>“Come on,” Is all that Johnny says, pulling him harder. They get to Johnny’s cabin, Johnny ripping the door open and slamming it back closed when they’re both in, shoving Taeil back until he falls onto the bed.</p>
<p>“Are you in a rush?” Taeil laughs, a little breathless. Johnny doesn’t answer, falling to his knees and helping Taeil out of his shoes before pushing him onto his back, crawling on top of him after kicking his own shoes off. “Johnny.”</p>
<p>Johnny sighs, rubbing his face against Taeil’s shirt, “Nap time.”</p>
<p>“Finally,” Taeil groans, pushing Johnny off so he can rip off his shirt before letting him lay back down on his chest, “As many hours as we want, no kids to interrupt, no time constrictions.”</p>
<p>“I love it when you talk dirty to me,” Johnny mumbles, already giving into the drowsiness.</p>
<p>Taeil turns them onto their sides, “Come on, babe, turn around. You know you’ll be more comfortable as the little spoon.” Johnny groans but listens, snuggling against Taeil’s arm he lays down. “Date night later?” Johnny nods, pressing a kiss against Taeil’s forearm before finally drifting off to sleep. </p>
<p>Taeil listens to his light snores for a minute, smiling fondly. He doesn’t know how he ever thought he would be fine without having this. The easiness that’s between them, the understanding each other with just a look, or a few words of a sentence. Finally dating Johnny, expressing his love for him in little ways, was more than he ever thought it could be.</p><p>Taeil closes his eyes, letting a smile dance on his lips. He’ll have to drop the l-word when he wakes up.</p>
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